Counterterrorism Cooperation between Nigeria and the United Kingdom: Policy Alignment and Operational Realities

This study examines the counterterrorism partnership between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, assessing the policy frameworks, institutional linkages, and operational realities of cooperation in intelligence sharing, capacity building, and legal assistance. The United Kingdom has been one of Nigeria's most significant bilateral partners in counterterrorism, providing training to Nigerian security forces, technical assistance on financial crime, and prosecution support through various programmes coordinated by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the National Crime Agency. Drawing on alliance theory and security cooperation frameworks, this research analyses the content, delivery, and measurable outcomes of UK-Nigeria counterterrorism cooperation from 2019 to 2024. The study employs a qualitative methodology, drawing on programme evaluation reports, parliamentary testimonies in both countries, investigative journalism, and semi-structured interviews with security sector professionals. The North East zone of Nigeria serves as the primary operational context for assessing partnership effectiveness, given the concentration of jihadist insurgency activity in Borno and Adamawa states. Findings are expected to show that while UK-Nigeria cooperation has delivered technical capacity improvements, strategic impact is limited by Nigerian institutional weaknesses, mutual suspicions about intelligence sharing, and divergent priorities on human rights conditionality. Recommendations address programme design improvements and governance safeguards. Keywords: counterterrorism, Nigeria-UK, security cooperation, Boko Haram, capacity building.