The Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening international and regional partnerships in tackling insecurity across Africa.
General Oluyede made the commitment while leading Nigeria’s delegation to the 2026 African Chiefs of Defence Conference (ACHOD), held in Luanda, Angola, from June 30 to July 2. The conference was jointly hosted by the United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM) and the Angolan Armed Forces.
The three-day gathering brought together senior military leaders from across Africa and international partners to deliberate on critical security challenges, including terrorism, transnational crimes, disinformation, and the responsible use of emerging technologies such as drones in military operations.
Speaking during the conference, General Oluyede stressed the need for Africa to develop a resilient and adaptive security architecture capable of addressing both current and emerging threats to the continent.
He called for stronger regional intelligence cooperation, revitalised security systems, integrated border management, enhanced defence partnerships, and concerted efforts to disrupt terrorism financing as essential measures for improving Africa’s security landscape.
The defence chief also commended the bilateral defence partnership between Nigeria and the United States, noting that the collaboration has significantly enhanced the operational effectiveness of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and contributed to regional security efforts.
On the sidelines of the conference, General Oluyede held bilateral meetings with fellow Chiefs of Defence and key international partners to strengthen cooperation against transnational threats that cut across national borders.
According to a statement signed by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, the Armed Forces of Nigeria reaffirmed the country’s commitment to regional partnerships, intelligence sharing and joint military operations as vital tools for combating violent extremism, drug trafficking and other cross-border crimes.
The statement added that Nigeria would continue to leverage platforms such as the African Chiefs of Defence Conference to deepen international collaboration, improve military interoperability and promote lasting peace and security across West Africa and the African continent.
