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Photo Credit: Colonel Appolonia Anele, Acting Director Nigerian Army Public Relations

The Commander of the South African Landward Forces, Lieutenant General Lawrence Khulekani Mbatha embarked on working visit at Abuja, the administrative capital of Nigeria, this week.

Lieutenant General Mbatha received a warm and hearty welcome from the Chief of the Nigerian Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu and his formidable team. During the first meeting which took place on Tuesday the 10 March 2026, the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to deepening strategic military cooperation with the overarching aim of strengthening regional security, let alone enhance professional military capacity across the African continent.

The Commander of the South African Landward Forces, Lieutenant General Mbatha stated without any equivocation that his visit to Abuja has offered him a golden opportunity to study Nigeria’s operational experiences in tackling terrorism and other asymmetric threats. He acknowledged the extensive battlefield of the Nigerian Army, let alone expressed keen interest in learning how Nigeria has structured its training and operational strategies to effectively confront evolving security challenges, particularly in countering the use of IEDs in insurgent warfare.

Both leaders also explored opportunities for expanding technical cooperation in specialised arears, including aviation. Lieutenant General Mbatha, added that the South African National Defence Force possess significant technical expertise in aviation maintenance and pilot training, adding that the stronger collaboration in this domain could assist the Nigerian Army in further developing its aviation capabilities.

The Nigerian Army Chief of Staff revealed that his forces have been sharpening their skills to tackle modern threats from IEDs to airpower, and eager to amplify their expertise through partnership with South Africa. Specialised training in IED detection, counter-IED operations, and battlefield survival is now a key focus, and collaboration with South Africa will be a key changer for their training programmes. Nigerian officers are already soaking up knowledge at the SANDF colleges, while South African instructors and directing staff are embedded in Nigerian military institutions, weaving a rich tapestry of shared learning strategic growth.

The discussions concluded with a shared commitment to sustain joint training, operational exchanges, and technical cooperation between the armies. Both sides agreed that strengthening military collaboration between the two nations will not only enhance the operational effectiveness of their respective forces but will also contribute significantly to promoting stability, security, and collective defence across Africa.

The final leg of the visit took the South African Chief of the Army on a tour of Nigeria’s esteemed military academies, including the Nigerian Defence College, Armed Forces Command Staff College, and the Defence Industry corporation. The visit aimed to foster greater collaboration and knowledge sharing between the two nation’s defence institutions, paving the way for a brighter , more secure future for Africa.

Source: Article by Lieutenant Daniel Maluleke, South African Army Corporate Communications