Abuja, October 12, 2025
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will today depart Abuja for Rome, Italy, to participate in the high-level Aqaba Process Heads of State and Government Meeting, focused on addressing the deepening security crisis in West Africa.
The summit, scheduled to commence on October 14, will convene global and regional leaders, senior intelligence and military officials from African nations, as well as representatives from intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations. It aims to tackle the complex and rapidly evolving security threats facing the West African region.
The Aqaba Process is a strategic counter-terrorism initiative launched by King Abdullah II of Jordan in 2015 and is jointly chaired by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Government of Italy. This year’s session will take a special interest in the expansion of terrorist networks, the growing nexus between organised crime and terrorism, and the increasing overlap between land-based insurgencies in the Sahel and maritime threats in the Gulf of Guinea.
A statement released by Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, highlighted that the Rome meeting will facilitate the exchange of intelligence assessments, enhance regional coordination, and promote practical strategies to combat both land and sea-based terror threats. It will also address efforts to disrupt online radicalisation and terrorist propaganda networks.
Beyond the plenary sessions, President Tinubu is expected to engage in bilateral discussions with fellow leaders to strengthen collaborative security efforts and forge durable solutions to West Africa’s rising insecurity.
President Tinubu will be accompanied by a high-level delegation that includes:
• Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
• Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, Minister of Defence
• Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, National Security Adviser
• Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed, Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA)
• And other senior government officials.
The President’s participation in the Aqaba Process reflects Nigeria’s strong commitment to regional peace and security, and the government’s proactive engagement in multilateral efforts to confront terrorism and transnational organised crime.
President Tinubu is expected to return to Abuja after the conclusion of the high-level engagements in Rome.
