Nigeria has moved to strengthen operational and technological military capacity through expanded defence cooperation with Pakistan, prioritising joint training, intelligence integration, and advanced capability development to confront evolving regional and transnational security threats.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu (COAS), reaffirmed this commitment while receiving the Defence Adviser of Pakistan to Nigeria, Colonel Kamran Mushtaq, at the Army Headquarters, Abuja.
According to the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, the Army Chief underscored the strategic depth of the Nigeria–Pakistan partnership, identifying joint professional military education, intelligence sharing, defence technology collaboration, and operational coordination as central pillars for reinforcing collective security architecture.
The Army Chief noted that expanding these areas of engagement would enhance interoperability and significantly strengthen both armies’ capacity to counter asymmetric threats, terrorism, and insurgency.
Advanced Training
He highlighted the longstanding defence relationship between the two countries, referencing advanced training Nigerian officers have received in Pakistan and the forthcoming participation of Pakistani officers at Nigeria’s National Defence College as evidence of sustained institutional exchange.
Lieutenant General Shaibu further emphasised that deepened intelligence cooperation and strategic defence procurement remain essential to improving Nigeria’s operational readiness, technological edge, and combat effectiveness within an evolving threat environment.
In his remarks, Defence Adviser of Pakistan to Nigeria, Colonel Kamran Mushtaq, conveyed the goodwill of Chief of Defence Forces, Field Marshal Asim Munir, and commended the Nigerian Army’s professionalism and operational resilience.
Readiness to Support Nigeria
Drawing on Pakistan’s over two decades of counter-terrorism experience, he reiterated Islamabad’s readiness to support Nigeria through specialised training, technical assistance, and the provision of advanced surveillance and communication systems.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to sustained joint professional military education and exchange programmes, recognising their role in strengthening operational synergy, institutional learning, and coordinated responses to regional security challenges.