Nigeria and Saudi Arabia on Tuesday formalised a new phase in their bilateral ties with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, aimed at strengthening defence and military cooperation.
The agreement was endorsed in Abuja by Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, and Saudi Arabia’s Assistant Minister of Defence for Executive Affairs, Dr. Khaled Al-Biyari.
The signing was announced in a statement issued by the Assistant Director of Information and Public Relations, Enderline Chukwu.
Matawalle described the MoU as a significant milestone for Nigeria’s security sector, stressing that the pact would reinforce the country’s defence architecture and enhance the operational capacity of the armed forces.
He noted that the agreement opens a structured pathway for both nations to collaborate more closely on key military priorities.
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Under the terms of the MoU, the partnership will run for an initial period of five years. The areas of cooperation include training, joint military exercises, intelligence sharing, technical assistance, logistics support and other mutually agreed defence activities.
The document also allows for a review and renewal for an additional five-year term, while providing either country the option to terminate the pact with a three-month diplomatic notice.
Matawalle stated that the collaboration is expected to deliver tangible benefits for Nigeria, especially in strengthening professional military education and boosting operational readiness through joint drills.
He highlighted that the enhanced cooperation with Saudi Arabia would deepen Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts and improve overall strategic coordination.
The defence agreement marks a new chapter in Nigeria’s international military partnerships as the country intensifies measures to modernise its security apparatus and address evolving threats.
NAN
