The Tinubu Stakeholders Forum (TSF) has welcomed the deepening security cooperation between the United States and Nigeria, describing it as a major boost to the country’s counter insurgency efforts.
The Forum specifically commended the United States’ approval of significant funding for counter-insurgency operations in Nigeria and other African countries under the National Defence Authorisation Act for the 2026 Fiscal Year.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Ahmad Sajoh, and Secretary, Danjuma Sada, TSF said the development represents a vote of confidence in the commitment of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to tackling Nigeria’s security challenges.
According to the Forum, the allocation of over $413 million (approximately ₦587 billion) for operations under the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) reflects growing international recognition that insecurity in West Africa is not a localised problem but a shared global threat requiring coordinated responses.
“While the funding also advances U.S. national security interests, it signals a pragmatic shift from concern to collaboration,” the statement said.
TSF noted that the renewed cooperation is the outcome of deliberate and sustained diplomatic engagement by the Tinubu administration, which ensured that Nigeria’s security realities were properly understood within the broader context of terrorism, transnational crime and regional instability, rather than being mischaracterised through narrow lenses.
The Forum also commended the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, for his strategic role in engaging key American institutions and recalibrating bilateral relations from what it described as “punitive posturing” to constructive partnership.
“For us, the NSA’s efforts in articulating Nigeria’s security challenges, defending national sovereignty and promoting cooperation over coercion have yielded measurable outcomes,” TSF stated.
The Forum further welcomed the operationalisation of the partnership, citing coordinated counter-terrorism actions involving AFRICOM and the recent delivery of military equipment to Nigerian security agencies as tangible support that strengthens Nigeria’s capacity to combat insurgency, banditry and other violent threats.
Beyond military hardware, TSF highlighted enhanced intelligence sharing and surveillance cooperation through the Joint Working Group framework, noting that this has improved Nigeria’s ability to anticipate threats, disrupt terrorist networks and protect civilians in vulnerable areas.
TSF described the developments as a validation of Nigeria’s shuttle diplomacy and its emphasis on mutual respect, shared responsibility and partnership based engagement, adding that they underscore the importance of integrating African countries into the global architecture for countering terrorism and violent extremism.
The Forum, however, urged Nigerian authorities to ensure that the security cooperation is sustained within a transparent, coordinated and mutually beneficial framework.