Nigeria: Trump Commends Tinubu's Anti-Terrorism Efforts, Reaffirms U.S. Support for Nigeria

What the report says

AllAfrica, carrying a Leadership report from Abuja, said U.S. President Donald Trump has praised Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s handling of terrorism and insecurity, including violence affecting Christian communities. The report said the comments were contained in a July 6, 2026 letter to Tinubu, whose contents were released on Wednesday by Bayo Onanuga, the president’s special adviser on information and strategy.

According to the published account, Trump framed the U.S.-Nigeria relationship as important amid wider instability in West Africa and said both countries shared an interest in confronting terrorism. The report also cited a “2026 Defence Cooperation Roadmap” as the framework for deeper bilateral security work, including training, intelligence support and operational assistance for Nigeria’s armed forces.

Leadership reported that Nigeria’s presidency described recent cooperation as expanding through a Joint Working Group led by the national security advisers of both countries. The presidency said the partnership has focused on intelligence sharing, specialised military training and coordinated action against terrorist groups. It also pointed to a May 16 operation against ISIS hideouts in the Lake Chad region, which it said resulted in the killing of Abubakar Al-Minoki and several associates.

The report added that U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Africa Frank Garcia visited Abuja the previous week and met senior Nigerian officials, pledging to broaden cooperation on security and other strategic matters. The development matters because Nigeria continues to face multiple violent threats, while Washington’s stated support signals a further tightening of defence ties between the two governments.