Nigeria and the United Kingdom have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening defence and security cooperation as both countries seek to address evolving security threats and enhance regional stability.
The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd.), made this known while hosting the United Kingdom’s National Security Adviser, Jonathan Powell, and his delegation at the Ship House in Abuja.
Powell is in Nigeria to participate in the fourth UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership (SDP4) Dialogue, a key bilateral platform aimed at advancing cooperation on security and defence matters.
During the meeting, General Musa underscored the importance of deepening strategic ties between the two countries, particularly in the areas of counter-terrorism, intelligence sharing, and regional security.
He reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to sustaining and enhancing its long-standing partnership with the United Kingdom in confronting emerging security challenges.
“Nigeria values its historic and strategic relationship with the United Kingdom,” the minister said.
As part of efforts to strengthen bilateral collaboration, both sides agreed to undertake a comprehensive review of existing Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) between the two nations. The review will focus on modernising security protocols, expanding technical training opportunities, and boosting capacity-building programmes for the Nigerian Armed Forces.
The bilateral engagement took place on the sidelines of the two-day SDP4 Dialogue hosted by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in Abuja.
The dialogue is being co-led by Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and his UK counterpart, Jonathan Powell.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the high-level summit set a robust agenda for security and defence cooperation between Nigeria and the United Kingdom through 2026 and beyond, with both countries pledging to strengthen collaboration in addressing common security concerns.
The meeting reflects ongoing efforts by Abuja and London to enhance bilateral security relations amid growing threats from terrorism, transnational crime, and regional instability.
