Nigeria and Somalia have moved to deepen their military and diplomatic ties, promising a new era of intelligence sharing to combat the shared threat of terrorism across the continent. A statement by the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa said the agreement followed high-level talks in Abuja between Ambassador Dunoma Ahmed, the Permanent Secretary of Nigeria’s Ministry, and the Somali Ambassador to Nigeria, Mohamed Osman Mohamed. The meeting comes at a critical time for Horn of Africa security, with both nations grappling with long-running insurgencies.
Kinetic and non-kinetic
During the talks, Nigeria—which has spent over a decade fighting Boko Haram and ISWAP militants—offered to share its counter-insurgency expertise with Mogadishu. Ambassador Ahmed told his counterpart that Nigeria was ready to deploy both “kinetic and non-kinetic” strategies—referring to a mix of direct military action and “soft power” initiatives like deradicalisation and community engagement. The two countries also identified maritime security and anti-piracy measures as top priorities to protect regional trade routes.
Defending sovereignty
Ambassador Mohamed briefed Nigerian officials on the current security situation in Somalia, emphasizing the need for international support to protect the country’s territorial integrity.”There is a need for structured mechanisms to address shared security challenges,” the Somali envoy said, pointing specifically to the fight against transnational crime and terrorism. Beyond security, the talks touched on the burgeoning digital economy. Both nations expressed interest in collaborating on:
Fintech and Digital Technology: Tapping into Nigeria’s status as a tech hub.
Agriculture and Mining: Exploring new investment opportunities.
Migration: Promoting safe and legal movement within Africa to curb the risks of irregular migration. The meeting concluded with Nigeria pledging its full support to the Somali mission in Abuja, signaling a diplomatic “new phase” aimed at stabilizing two of Africa’s most strategic regions.
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