Nigeria and the United Kingdom have renewed their commitment to strengthening defence cooperation, as both countries seek to enhance operational effectiveness against evolving security challenges. The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General OO Oluyede, received the UK High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr Richard Montgomery, at Defence Headquarters, Abuja, in a high-level engagement focused on bilateral collaboration.
According to Major General Samaila Uba, Director of Defence Information, the meeting underscored the longstanding partnership between the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) and the UK, particularly in areas such as Professional Military Education (PME), specialised training, and operational capacity development. Uba highlighted that such collaboration is critical to boosting Nigeria’s national and regional security posture.
During the meeting, General Oluyede reaffirmed the AFN’s commitment to continuous professional development and emphasized the importance of expanding mutually beneficial defence relations. He noted that closer cooperation with the UK especially in intelligence sharing and emerging security domains would further enhance operational readiness in response to contemporary threats.
Dr Montgomery congratulated the CDS on his distinguished service and commended the progress achieved in Nigeria–UK defence cooperation. He reiterated the UK’s commitment to strengthening defence ties, describing the partnership as forward-looking and mutually beneficial. Both leaders highlighted the shared responsibility of their nations to promote regional stability and develop sustainable military capacity.
The discussions also focused on enhancing both operational and strategic cooperation between the AFN and the UK to effectively counter regional and global security threats.
