National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu on Monday met with a high level United States delegation led by the newly confirmed Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Frank Garcia, as both countries moved to strengthen security cooperation.
The meeting marked Garcia’s first official visit to Nigeria since assuming office on June 1, 2026. His trip to Abuja is part of a broader West African tour that also includes Côte d’Ivoire and Mali.
In a post on X, Ribadu said the meeting reviewed the progress made under the Nigeria US Joint Working Group and reaffirmed both countries’ commitment to deeper dialogue and closer collaboration on shared security priorities.
According to him, the discussions focused on consolidating the long standing partnership between Nigeria and the United States while exploring ways to strengthen cooperation on key security issues.
Garcia, a 28 year veteran of the US Navy, previously served as a senior adviser to the chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and as staff director for the Defence Intelligence and Overhead Architecture Subcommittee before his appointment.
His confirmation also ended a vacancy in the role of Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, a position that had remained unfilled for more than a year.
