Nigeria and the United States held high-level counterterrorism talks in Washington DC on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, with a bilateral defence meeting scheduled for Thursday, August 13, 2026. The discussions follow the US redesignation of Nigeria as a "country of particular concern" (CPC) by President Donald Trump, a classification reflecting serious concerns about religious freedom.
High-Powered Nigerian Delegation Meets US Officials
National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu led the Nigerian delegation, which included six ministers and the Chief of Defence Staff. The delegation met with a US team led by the Under Secretary of State, as part of the United States-Nigeria Joint Working Group established after the CPC designation.
The Nigerian delegation comprised Minister of Foreign Affairs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Minister of Defence Christopher Musa, Minister of Finance Taiwo Oyedele, Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Attorney-General of the Federation Lateef Fagbemi, and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sola Enikanolaiye. Chief of Defence Staff General Olufemi Oluyede and Nigeria's Permanent Representative to the UN, Jimoh Ibrahim, also attended.
Joint Working Group Addresses CPC Designation
The bilateral working group was created following Trump's decision to redesignate Nigeria as a CPC, signalling serious US concerns about religious freedom. The group serves as the primary forum for managing the diplomatic and security dimensions of that decision.
Discussions centred on counterterrorism cooperation, progress made so far, and next steps. The defence meeting on Thursday is expected to deepen conversations at a military level, with senior defence officials from both sides participating.
Delegation Reflects Wide-Ranging Agenda
The composition of Nigeria's delegation—spanning diplomacy, security, finance, and legal affairs—indicates the engagements go beyond counterterrorism, touching on the wider Abuja-Washington relationship.
The full list of delegation members includes:
- NSA Nuhu Ribadu
- Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu
- Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa
- Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele
- Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo
- Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi
- Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye
- Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede
Earlier Abuja Meeting Set the Stage
Before the Washington talks, NSA Ribadu had hosted a senior US diplomatic team in Abuja, including newly confirmed Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Frank Garcia. Garcia led that delegation on his first official engagement in Nigeria since taking office on June 1, 2026, ending a vacancy of more than a year in the Africa portfolio, during which acting officials had filled the position.
The Washington meetings and the upcoming defence session are set to shape the trajectory of US-Nigeria security cooperation in the wake of the CPC designation, with both governments expected to announce concrete next steps following Thursday's talks.
