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Nigeria and the United Kingdom are moving to deepen their strategic defence cooperation, with a renewed focus on operational readiness, intelligence and surveillance, counter-unmanned aerial systems, air defence, protected mobility and advanced military training.

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with the United Kingdom during a meeting with the British Defence Adviser to Nigeria, Brigadier Tom Harper, MBE, at Army Headquarters in Abuja on 11 August 2026.

According to the Nigerian Army, the partnership forms an important part of its ongoing transformation efforts aimed at developing a more adaptable, combat-ready and resilient force capable of responding to evolving national and regional security threats.

Lieutenant General Shaibu highlighted asymmetric warfare and operations in dense and difficult terrain, particularly in Nigeria’s North East, among the principal operational challenges facing the Army. He stressed the requirement for enhanced Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), technical intelligence, aviation capabilities and persistent domain awareness down to battalion level.

The Army’s planned expansion from eight to 12 divisions is also expected to generate additional requirements for advanced training, instructor development and Special Forces capabilities. Particular emphasis is being placed on strengthening training capacity at the Doma facility.

The COAS also underscored efforts to institutionalise operational lessons and preserve the Nigerian Army’s military heritage. These include incorporating historic campaigns, such as the Longest Advance, into command curricula and advancing the digitisation of military archives.

Brigadier Harper reiterated the United Kingdom’s commitment to supporting Nigeria under the bilateral Security and Defence Partnership (SDP), particularly in strengthening both operational and institutional capabilities.

The UK plans to expand regional train-the-trainer programmes covering combat tactical drills, casualty care and advanced patrolling.

Future training cohorts supporting Operation HADIN KAI are expected to include military personnel from Niger, Cameroon and Chad alongside Nigerian troops, strengthening interoperability and regional cooperation against common security threats.

The regional approach reflects the increasingly cross-border nature of security challenges in the Lake Chad Basin and the importance of improving coordination among forces operating against insurgent and other asymmetric threats.

A significant element of the discussions focused on technology and capability development.

Proposed British support includes the establishment of a reference Forward Operating Base (FOB) within a cantonment environment, alongside the provision of counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) and the expansion of tactical ISR capabilities to brigade level.

Such capabilities have become increasingly important as armed forces across Africa confront the growing use of commercially available and military-grade unmanned systems, while simultaneously requiring persistent surveillance and improved situational awareness across large operational areas.

The discussions also addressed broader defence procurement and capability development, including air defence systems, potential transfers of protected mobility vehicles and specialised ammunition support.

These initiatives would complement Nigeria’s efforts to improve force protection, mobility and battlefield awareness while strengthening its ability to anticipate and respond to emerging threats.

The latest engagement demonstrates the expanding scope of UK–Nigeria defence relations beyond conventional training cooperation towards a broader partnership incorporating technology, intelligence, force protection, capability development and regional interoperability.

For the Nigerian Army, enhanced cooperation with international partners is expected to support its wider modernisation programme as the service adapts its force structure, training and equipment to increasingly complex operational requirements.

The inclusion of troops from neighbouring Niger, Cameroon and Chad in future training initiatives could also strengthen multinational operational coordination across the wider Lake Chad Basin, where regional forces continue to confront common insurgent and asymmetric security threats.

Source: Nigerian Army Directorate of Army Public Relations