President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja today for Rome, Italy, marking his 16th foreign trip in 2025 alone.
According to a statement released by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Tinubu will participate in the Aqaba Process Heads of State and Government-Level Meeting, which will focus on the security crises and emerging threats across West Africa.
The summit, which opens on October 14, will bring together heads of state, senior intelligence and military officials, and representatives of intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations to discuss regional security and counter-terrorism collaboration.
The Aqaba Process, launched in 2015 by King Abdullah II of Jordan, is a global counter-terrorism initiative jointly co-chaired by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Government of Italy.
Focus of the Rome Summit
The meeting will address the complex and evolving security challenges in West Africa — including the spread of terrorist networks, the increasing link between organized crime and terrorism, and the growing overlap between land-based insurgency in the Sahel region and maritime piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.
Participants are expected to exchange intelligence and security assessments, strengthen international partnerships, and design strategies to counter both onshore and offshore terror threats.
The forum will also deliberate on ways to curb online radicalisation and disrupt digital propaganda networks used by extremist groups for recruitment.
In addition to attending the plenary sessions, President Tinubu will hold bilateral meetings with other world leaders to explore joint initiatives for regional stability and cross-border security cooperation.
Accompanying the President on the trip are Bianca Ojukwu, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs; Mohammed Badaru, Minister of Defence; Nuhu Ribadu, National Security Adviser; Mohammed Mohammed, Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA); and other senior government officials.
Tinubu’s 2025 Foreign Trips — At a Glance
With the Rome trip, President Tinubu has now embarked on 16 international visits across 12 countries in 2025 — and at least 44 trips abroad since assuming office in 2023.
He recently returned from a 10-day vacation in Europe, during which he held a private meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron.
Below is a timeline of his 2025 international engagements so far:
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January 6: Accra, Ghana — Attended the inauguration of President-elect John Mahama.
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January 12–16: Abu Dhabi, UAE — Participated in the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Summit and held investment talks on energy and trade.
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January 27–28: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania — Attended the Africa Heads of State Energy Summit.
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February: Visited France and Ethiopia for the 37th African Union Summit, focusing on security, climate, and AfCFTA trade integration.
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April 2–21: Undertook a two-week working visit to France and the United Kingdom.
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Mid-May: Attended the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican City in Rome.
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June 28–July 4: Visited Saint Lucia and Brazil for the 17th BRICS Summit.
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August: Returned to Brazil for a two-day state visit following his participation in TICAD (Tokyo International Conference on African Development) in Japan.
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August 15: Made a brief stopover in Dubai, his second UAE visit in 2025, before continuing to Yokohama, Japan.
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September 4–17: Took a working vacation in France and the UK as part of his annual leave.
Tinubu’s October 12 departure for Rome adds another leg to his busy international schedule, underscoring his administration’s continued focus on diplomacy, economic partnerships, and regional security collaboration.
