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Nigeria and Pakistan have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral military cooperation, with a renewed focus on countering evolving security challenges through enhanced training, intelligence sharing and defence collaboration.

The commitment was reiterated on 20 February 2026 during a meeting at the Nigerian Army Headquarters in Abuja between the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) of the Nigerian Army, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, and Pakistan’s Defence Adviser to Nigeria, Colonel Kamran Mushtaq.

During the engagement, Lieutenant General Shaibu underscored the strategic depth of the long-standing Nigeria–Pakistan military partnership, describing it as a critical component of both nations’ security architecture. He identified expanded cooperation in joint training, intelligence exchange, defence technology and operational collaboration as key areas for further development, noting that deeper engagement would enhance interoperability and improve the ability of both armies to address complex and emerging security threats.

The COAS also highlighted the shared operational experience of the two armies in combating terrorism and insurgency, stressing the importance of sustained capacity-building and professional military education. He pointed to the advanced training programmes Nigerian officers have undertaken in Pakistan, as well as the forthcoming participation of Pakistani officers at Nigeria’s National Defence College, as tangible examples of the growing institutional ties between the two forces.

Emphasising future priorities, General Shaibu noted that strengthened intelligence cooperation and strategic defence procurement would be essential to improving Nigeria’s operational readiness, technological capability and overall combat effectiveness in an increasingly complex security environment.

In his remarks, Colonel Mushtaq conveyed the goodwill and warm greetings of Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces, while commending the professionalism, resilience and operational achievements of the Nigerian Army. Drawing on Pakistan’s more than two decades of counter-terrorism experience, he reaffirmed Islamabad’s readiness to deepen collaboration with Nigeria through specialised training, technical assistance and the provision of critical enablers, including advanced surveillance and communication systems.

Both sides reiterated their commitment to expanding joint professional military education and exchange programmes, describing them as vital mechanisms for strengthening interoperability, operational synergy and collective capacity to address regional and transnational security threats.

Source: Appolonia Anele, Colonel, Acting Director, Army Public Relations