President Bola Tinubu has approved the Nigerian membership of a new US-Nigeria Joint Working Group aimed at strengthening cooperation on security, counterterrorism, and intelligence sharing, according to a statement issued Wednesday by his office.
The creation of the Joint Working Group follows a recent high-level visit to Washington by a Nigerian delegation led by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu. The meetings were part of renewed efforts by both countries to coordinate responses to Nigeria’s worsening security challenges, which include terrorism in the northeast, banditry and mass abductions in the northwest, and separatist violence in the southeast.
Ribadu will lead the Nigerian side of the group and will be supported by senior officials from key ministries and security agencies. The team includes Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, Minister of Defence Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs Bernard M. Doro, Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency Mohammed Mohammed, and Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun.
Idayat Hassan of the Office of the National Security Adviser and Paul Alabi of the Nigerian Embassy in Washington will serve as the secretariat.
Tinubu urged the group to collaborate closely with their American counterparts and to ensure the timely implementation of agreements reached during the Washington trip. The president said the initiative represents a significant step toward improving coordination across sectors involved in Nigeria’s national security architecture.
The announcement comes amid continued concern about Nigeria’s ability to respond to persistent security threats, including terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping. The United States has maintained longstanding security cooperation with Nigeria, providing military training, intelligence support, and collaboration on counterterrorism initiatives. Analysts say the new Joint Working Group could help better coordinate these efforts, although its effectiveness will depend on political will and sustained follow-through from both governments.
Nigeria remains a key U.S. security partner in West Africa, and the formation of the working group reflects ongoing efforts by both countries to strengthen collaboration on shared security priorities. While the initiative creates a formal mechanism for joint action, experts note that its impact will be measured by how quickly agreements from the Washington meetings translate into operational results on the ground.