Nigeria and Ghana have intensified defence and military cooperation amid growing calls for stronger African-led security coordination, indigenous defence production and regional strategic autonomy.
The development emerged during a visit by Senior Course 47 delegation of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College to Nigeria’s Ministry of Defence headquarters at Ship House in Abuja.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Mr Richard Pheelangwa stated that Nigeria and Ghana occupy strategic positions within West Africa and must continue strengthening defence and economic cooperation capable of supporting regional stability.
Represented by the Director of Joint Services Department, Mrs Bosede Olaniyi, he noted that “the engagement reflects broader efforts to deepen African military partnerships and strengthen institutional collaboration among future operational and strategic leaders across the continent.’
Pheelangwa further reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to supporting peace and stability across Africa, stressing that the growth and effectiveness of the defence sector remain critical to the continent’s wider development.
“The success of the defence sector is germane to the growth of the African continent,” he stated.
During a technical presentation, the Assistant Director of Special Projects, Joint Services Department, Mrs Fatima Mowarin, outlined ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s defence industrial capacity.
The reforms include; the re-enactment of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) Act, expansion of public-private defence partnerships and increased technology transfer initiatives designed to boost local production capability.
Officials also acknowledged existing challenges including inadequate funding, dependence on foreign technologies and difficulties sourcing local raw materials, while disclosing efforts to revitalise Nigeria’s steel sector to support indigenous defence manufacturing.
The Head of the Ghanaian delegation, Colonel Fiifi Deegbe, described the engagements as valuable, noting that visits to military formations and service headquarters in Nigeria had provided participants with deeper insight into Nigeria’s operational and defence industrial structures.
“With the ongoing development in Nigeria’s Ministry of Defence, Africa is heading towards military advancement,” he stated.
Representative of Senior Course 47, Major Kuntu Blankson also expressed appreciation for the engagements and called for sustained institutional collaboration between both countries.
The visit comes amid increasing regional security concerns involving terrorism, piracy, transnational crime and instability across the Sahel and coastal West Africa.
