Nigeria, US Deepen Defence Cooperation as Defence Ministry Hosts Former AFRICOM Commander

Nigeria and the United States have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral defence cooperation following a high-level meeting between the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), and former Commander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), William E. Ward, in Abuja.

General Ward paid a courtesy visit to the Minister at the Ministry of Defence headquarters, Ship House, where the Minister was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Richard Pheelangwah.

Conveying the Minister's goodwill, Pheelangwah described General Ward as a distinguished military leader whose tenure as the inaugural AFRICOM Commander continues to influence security cooperation across the African continent.

He reaffirmed Nigeria's commitment to deepening its strategic defence partnership with the United States, noting that the two countries have continued to collaborate in critical areas such as military training, intelligence sharing, counter-terrorism operations, maritime security, logistics and professional military education.

The Permanent Secretary also stressed the growing importance of innovation, emerging technologies and capacity building in tackling evolving security threats in an increasingly complex global security environment.

According to him, the long-standing defence relationship between Nigeria and the United States remains mutually beneficial, with sustained collaboration playing a vital role in promoting regional and global peace and security.

Discussions during the meeting also focused on lessons for African militaries, strengthening strategic partnerships, the application of innovation and artificial intelligence in defence planning, cybersecurity, and preparing future military leaders for multi-domain operations.

In his remarks, General Ward commended General Christopher Musa for what he described as exemplary leadership, both in his previous role as Chief of Defence Staff and in his current position as Minister of Defence.

He also called for stronger economic cooperation between Nigeria and the United States while emphasising the need for sustained efforts to tackle prevailing security challenges. The former AFRICOM Commander further highlighted the importance of family values and cybersecurity as key pillars of modern defence architecture.

The meeting underscored the shared commitment of both countries to expanding defence cooperation and enhancing strategic partnerships in response to emerging regional and global security challenges.