President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja on Sunday for Rome, Italy, to participate in the Aqaba Process Heads of State and Government Meeting, a high-level summit focused on tackling security threats in West Africa.
The summit, which begins on Tuesday, will bring together African leaders, senior intelligence and military officials, and representatives from leading intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations.
According to Presidential Spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, the President’s visit underscores Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening regional and international security cooperation to address the growing threat of terrorism and violent extremism.
About the Aqaba Process
The Aqaba Process was launched in 2015 by King Abdullah II of Jordan as a global counter-terrorism platform. It is jointly led by Jordan and the Italian government, serving as a strategic forum for governments, security agencies, and experts to develop coordinated responses to emerging threats.
This year’s meeting will specifically address the complex security landscape in West Africa, including the rapid expansion of terrorist networks across the Sahel region and their increasing connections to maritime piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.
Key Issues on the Agenda
- Regional Terrorism: Evaluating the rise of land-based terrorist groups in the Sahel and their impact on stability.
- Maritime Security: Strengthening cooperation to counter piracy and illegal activities along West African waters.
- Intelligence Sharing: Enhancing collaboration between states and agencies to combat cross-border threats.
- Digital Counterterrorism: Addressing online radicalisation and disrupting extremist propaganda and recruitment channels.
Nigeria’s Role and Bilateral Engagements
President Tinubu is expected to participate actively in closed-door sessions and bilateral meetings with other heads of state to strengthen security coordination across the subregion. These talks will focus on joint strategies to protect critical infrastructure, improve maritime security, and tackle the spread of extremism.
The President will be accompanied by:
- Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
- Badaru Abubakar, Minister of Defence
- Nuhu Ribadu, National Security Adviser
- Mohammed Mohammed, Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA)
- Other senior government officials
The Aqaba Process summit represents a critical platform for Nigeria to reaffirm its leadership role in regional security and to seek stronger international partnerships to combat terrorism and transnational crime.