The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has launched a new monthly publication, The National Security Monitor, as part of efforts to strengthen strategic communication, improve public understanding of Nigeria’s security environment and promote informed citizen engagement.
The publication is designed to provide timely, authoritative and accessible information on national security priorities, emerging threats, policy initiatives, institutional reforms, operational achievements and strategic partnerships.
According to an official statement signed by Chido Onumah, Special Adviser to the National Security Adviser on Strategic Communication and Civil Society Liaison, the initiative reflects ONSA’s broader commitment to strengthening public information management and constructive engagement with citizens and stakeholders.
Speaking in the inaugural edition, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, said the changing nature of national security had made credible and strategic communication an indispensable component of effective security management.
Ribadu noted that contemporary national security had expanded beyond the traditional responsibilities of defence and security institutions to encompass economic stability, cyber resilience, public safety, information integrity, critical infrastructure protection, environmental security and citizen participation.
He said The National Security Monitor would serve as an authoritative platform for keeping Nigerians informed about national security priorities, emerging challenges, policy initiatives, institutional reforms and collective achievements, while promoting transparency, accountability and responsible public engagement.
The newsletter will also support efforts to counter misinformation, disinformation and hostile information operations, while strengthening public confidence in Nigeria’s national security architecture and promoting greater security awareness and civic responsibility.
According to ONSA, the publication will deepen engagement with the media, civil society organisations, academia, development partners and the private sector, recognising that effective national security requires sustained cooperation between government and society.
The inaugural July 2026 edition features the Fourth United Kingdom-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership Dialogue, held in Abuja from June 22 to 24, 2026, highlighting expanding cooperation between both countries in counter-terrorism, cybersecurity, defence, intelligence sharing, strategic communication, maritime security, law enforcement and regional stability.
Other features in the inaugural edition examine Nigeria’s emerging security doctrine, the Whole-of-Society approach to peace and security, federal-state security coordination, African-led responses to terrorism, border security and Operation Safe Corridor.
The publication also examines the repositioning of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau under the Presidency through ONSA, reflecting the broader evolution of Nigeria’s national security architecture.
ONSA said the newsletter would go beyond documenting security activities by providing context to national security developments, explaining policy decisions, promoting informed public discourse and strengthening the relationship between security institutions and the citizens they serve.
The initiative, it added, represents an important step towards the development of a National Security Strategic Communication, Public Information Management and Civil Society Engagement Policy (2026–2030), which is expected to provide a strategic framework for using communication as an instrument of national security, democratic governance and national development.
The Office of the National Security Adviser has invited security practitioners, media organisations, civil society groups, researchers, development partners and members of the public to engage with the publication and contribute constructively to national security discourse.
The National Security Monitor will be published monthly by ONSA, with feedback and contributions to be submitted through the office’s strategic communication channel.
