Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening military cooperation to tackle terrorism, transnational crime and other security threats across West Africa.
The renewed commitment was reached during a bilateral meeting between the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, and the Chief of the Armed Forces of Guinea-Bissau, Major General Tomas Djass, on the sidelines of the 163rd Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL 2026) in Port Harcourt.
According to a statement by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, both military chiefs agreed to deepen defence collaboration through stronger institutional partnerships, enhanced operational cooperation and sustained capacity-building to address emerging security challenges in the sub-region.
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Lieutenant General Shaibu said closer collaboration among West African armed forces is essential to effectively combat terrorism, organised transnational crime and other cross-border threats, adding that stronger military partnerships are critical to sustaining regional peace, stability and democratic governance.
He noted that Nigeria’s experience in counter-terrorism operations, multinational military engagements and peace support missions has positioned the Nigerian Army as a key contributor to regional security. He reaffirmed the Army’s commitment to expanding bilateral and multilateral defence cooperation to improve institutional capacity and operational effectiveness across West Africa.
The Army Chief also said Nigeria’s military diplomacy complements its constitutional mandate by promoting regional stability, strengthening civil-military relations and supporting democratic institutions through professional defence engagement.
In his remarks, Major General Djass commended the Nigerian Army for its leadership and professionalism in promoting peace and security in the region. He expressed Guinea-Bissau’s readiness to expand cooperation with Nigeria through knowledge sharing, joint military activities and capacity-building programmes.
The meeting underscored the Nigerian Army’s continued emphasis on defence diplomacy as a strategic tool for strengthening regional security partnerships and advancing collective responses to evolving security challenges in West Africa.
