A high-powered delegation from Washington, led by Under Secretary of State Allison Hooker, has touched down in Abuja, signaling a renewed US focus on West African security amid rising instability in the Sahel.

Hooker, a key architect of the Trump administration’s Africa policy, is accompanied by Assistant Secretary Riley Barnes. Their mission is clear: to solidify the US-Nigeria Joint Working Group (JWG) and counter the growing influence of Russian mercenaries in the region.

The Agenda: Guns, Intel, and Influence

The visit follows a covert delivery of military equipment by AFRICOM to the Nigerian military earlier this month. The talks in Abuja will focus on:

• Counter-Terrorism: strengthening Nigeria’s capacity to fight Boko Haram and ISWAP without relying on "destabilizing foreign actors" (a diplomatic euphemism for Russia’s Wagner Group).
• Intelligence Sharing: operationalizing the pact made by NSA Nuhu Ribadu in Washington last November.
• Human Rights: Assistant Secretary Barnes is expected to raise uncomfortable questions about military conduct in the north, a prerequisite for further arms sales.

Why Nigeria Matters Now

With Niger and Burkina Faso drifting into the Russian orbit, Nigeria remains America’s indispensable anchor in West Africa. However, the relationship is complicated. The recent malfunction of US-supplied Tomahawk missiles in the Gulf of Guinea has raised eyebrows in Abuja about the quality of support being offered.

Under Secretary Hooker’s presence—she acts as the "head of the US-Nigeria joint working group"—elevates this from a courtesy call to a strategic negotiation. She is a hardliner known for her focus on results over protocol.

The Kenyan Connection

While the talks are in Abuja, Nairobi is watching. Kenya remains the US's primary security partner in East Africa, but a strengthened US-Nigeria axis shifts the continental balance of power. As Hooker moves from Abuja to Oman and Bahrain, the message is consistent: America is back, but it demands reliable partners who can police their own backyards.