Nigeria and the United States have concluded high-level bilateral engagements in Washington, D.C., aimed at deepening military-to-military relations and strengthening counter-terrorism cooperation between both countries.
The Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa, led a high-powered Nigerian delegation to the talks. The delegation included the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele; the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede; the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Lt.-Gen. Parker Udiandeye; and other senior officers of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
A statement by the Ministry of Defence said the delegation held robust discussions with senior officials of the U.S. Department of War, led by Julia Sokol, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for International Security Affairs.
According to the statement, the engagement was a direct continuation of the United States-Nigeria Joint Working Group Defence Bilateral Talks, with discussions centred on shared security architecture, intelligence collaboration and operational synergies.
The ministry added that a separate Nigerian diplomatic mission, led by the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and comprising senior government officials, was also in the United States for the second meeting of the U.S.-Nigeria Joint Working Group, held from August 12 to 13, 2026.
The statement said the meeting, co-chaired by Ribadu and Allison Hooker, the U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, reviewed actionable progress and strategic frameworks following Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC).
It said both countries reaffirmed their commitment to sustained dialogue, mutual respect and a strategic partnership in addressing global and regional security threats.
The engagements underscore the continued efforts by Nigeria and the United States to strengthen bilateral security cooperation, particularly in intelligence sharing, counter-terrorism operations and other areas of mutual strategic interest.
