The European Union and Nigeria launch first Peace, Security and Defence Dialogue and agree to enhance collaboration

The European Union and Nigeria have launched their first Peace, Security and Defence Dialogue in Brussels, agreeing new steps to deepen cooperation on security, defence and transnational crime amid mounting regional threats.

Held on 18 February 2026 at the headquarters of the European External Action Service (EEAS), the dialogue was co‑chaired by EEAS Deputy Secretary‑General Charles Fries and Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. The high‑level engagement is described as a major milestone that opens new areas of collaboration while reaffirming respect for Nigeria’s sovereignty.

Discussions centred on regional security and thematic priorities including counter‑terrorism, maritime security, cyber and hybrid threats, disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR), and peace mediation. Both sides used the talks to identify concrete opportunities to step up joint work across these domains.

A second segment of the dialogue, led by European Commission Directorate‑General for Home Affairs (DG HOME) Deputy Director‑General Johannes Luchner, focused on Transnational Organised Crime. It examined efforts to combat drug trafficking, trafficking in human beings and migrant smuggling, with Nigerian officials welcoming a proposal to boost law‑enforcement cooperation with Europol in response to the growing impact of organised crime on both Nigeria and the EU.

According to the EU, the meeting confirmed a broad convergence between Brussels and Abuja on core values and international priorities, particularly their shared backing for multilateralism and a rules‑based international order. Nigeria’s position, including its support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, was cited as evidence of this alignment.

The EU underscored Nigeria’s central role in West Africa’s stability, noting that the country accounts for nearly 60 per cent of the region’s GDP and roughly half its population, making it a pivotal political and economic actor on the continent. Against that backdrop, both partners framed the new dialogue as a platform to shape security cooperation at bilateral, regional and multilateral levels.

Key outcomes from the talks include:

• A renewed commitment to deepen collaboration on regional stability.
• Plans to strengthen joint action against terrorism and violent extremism through additional support measures and strategic exchanges.
• Moves to expand cooperation on maritime security, cybersecurity and foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI).
• Agreement to launch dedicated consultations on countering foreign information manipulation, backed by forthcoming capacity‑building initiatives.

EU officials said these decisions reflect a shared ambition to confront evolving security threats through sustained political dialogue and practical operational cooperation.

The dialogue builds on more than a decade of EU–Nigeria collaboration in fragile areas such as the Lake Chad Basin and the Gulf of Guinea, where European support has blended security, humanitarian and development tools. This has included DDR programmes, mediation efforts, criminal justice reforms and resilience‑building projects targeting communities affected by violence and instability.

Between 2015 and 2025, EU peace, security and defence cooperation with Nigeria amounted to over €700 million, complemented by an additional €500 million in humanitarian assistance. Nigeria is currently the EU’s largest bilateral development partner in Sub‑Saharan Africa.

The EU also highlighted its status as the major financial contributor to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), with total support of €234.4 million to date. This backing has helped improve the MNJTF’s capabilities, responsiveness and coordination among participating contingents, particularly in operations against armed groups in the Lake Chad region.

Brussels and Abuja say the newly inaugurated Peace, Security and Defence Dialogue will serve as a cornerstone for the next phase of their security partnership, anchoring enhanced cooperation on shared priorities from counter‑terrorism and maritime security to tackling transnational crime and information manipulation.