Nigeria, Saudi Arabia Seal Landmark Defence Pact to Boost Military Cooperation

Nigeria, Saudi Arabia Seal Landmark Defence Pact to Boost Military Cooperation

Nigeria and Saudi Arabia on Tuesday formalised a major step toward deeper security collaboration with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening defence and military cooperation between both nations.

The pact was endorsed in Abuja by Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Mohammed Matawalle, and Saudi Arabia’s Assistant Minister of Defence for Executive Affairs, Dr Khaled Al-Biyari. The agreement was announced through a statement issued by Enderline Chukwu, Assistant Director of Information and Public Relations.

Describing the MoU as “a significant milestone”, Matawalle said the agreement would fortify Nigeria’s defence architecture and boost the operational capacity of the Armed Forces. He noted that the collaboration aligns with the country’s strategic efforts to deepen international partnerships in tackling emerging security threats.

Under the five-year renewable agreement, both countries will cooperate in areas such as military training, joint exercises, intelligence sharing, logistics, technical assistance, and other defence activities agreed upon by both sides. The terms also allow for a review or renewal for another five years, with an option for either country to withdraw with a three-month diplomatic notice.

Matawalle added that the defence pact is expected to yield substantial benefits for Nigeria, including improved military education, enhanced preparedness through joint drills, and strengthened counter-terrorism efforts—particularly critical as the country continues to confront complex security challenges.

He expressed confidence that the partnership would open new channels of operational cooperation and further consolidate Nigeria’s engagement with global allies committed to peace and security.