Tinubu, NSA and NIA Boss Join Aqaba Process in Rome as Nigeria Moves to Fortify Counterterror Network

IDNN National Security & Diplomacy Desk –

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has arrived in Rome, Italy, to participate in the Aqaba Process Heads of State and Government Meeting — a high-level counterterrorism forum designed to strengthen regional coordination against West Africa’s deepening security challenges.

The summit, which opens Tuesday, brings together Heads of State, military chiefs, and intelligence leaders from across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. It is co-chaired by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Italian Government.

Launched in 2015 by King Abdullah II of Jordan, the Aqaba Process has evolved into a key global framework for addressing cross-border terrorism and violent extremism. This year’s meeting places special emphasis on West Africa’s security crisis, including the rise of extremist networks in the Sahel, the crime–terror nexus, and the growing overlap between land-based terrorism and maritime piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.

Tinubu’s delegation includes the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar; National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed.

A statement from the Presidency noted that the Nigerian leader will also hold bilateral discussions on intelligence-sharing, cyber defence, and maritime safety with European and African counterparts.

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Strategic Diplomacy in Motion

For Nigeria, the Rome engagement signals a strategic realignment of its global defence partnerships. Tinubu’s attendance follows months of renewed regional diplomacy aimed at curbing cross-border arms flow, extremist funding, and illegal mining — all of which fuel insecurity across Nigeria’s northern corridors.

Officials describe the visit as part of a wider push to integrate Nigeria’s intelligence infrastructure with international partners under the Renewed Hope Security Doctrine, prioritising technology, training, and maritime coordination.

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Sovereignty Pulse

Tinubu’s Rome engagement embodies a twofold objective: fortifying Nigeria’s global credibility and projecting leadership in the West African counterterror architecture. By joining the Aqaba Process at Head-of-State level, Nigeria signals readiness to lead not only on land warfare but also in maritime and cyber defence.

The move comes amid growing demands from Western allies for stronger African cooperation on counter-extremism, following renewed insurgent attacks in Borno and Niger states.

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