Nigeria and the United States have commenced the second edition of the Nigeria–United States Joint Working Group meeting in Washington, D.C., to assess progress in bilateral counterterrorism efforts and chart the next phase of security cooperation between both countries.
Nigeria’s delegation is led by the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, while the United States delegation is headed by Allison Hooker, the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs.
The Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, are among members of the Nigerian delegation participating in the high-level discussions.
The meeting built on the inaugural session held in Abuja in January 2026, which focused on strengthening cooperation in security and intelligence sharing, protecting vulnerable communities, particularly those at risk of religiously motivated violence, and advancing other areas of mutual interest.
The Washington meeting is expected to further strengthen Nigeria–US security and defence cooperation, with discussions covering the return and enhanced protection of internally displaced persons, intelligence gathering and coordination, combating terrorist financing and ensuring accountability for perpetrators.
The two sides are also expected to examine more effective border control measures aimed at stemming the movement of illicit goods, resources and people, as well as undertake a strategic review of the Defence Roadmap guiding bilateral security cooperation.
The engagement underscored the commitment of Nigeria and the United States to deepening their partnership in confronting terrorism and other transnational security threats while promoting the protection of vulnerable communities and regional stability.
The meeting was confirmed in a statement by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa.
