By Chimezie Godfrey
Nigeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen defence and military cooperation between both countries.
The MoU was signed by authorised representatives of the two governments, with Nigeria represented by the Minister of State for Defence, H.E. Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, MON, while Saudi Arabia was represented by the Assistant Minister of Defence for Executive Affairs, Dr. Khaled H. Al-Biyari.
“The signing of this MoU is a significant milestone,” Dr. Matawalle said. “It has been on the drawing board for some time, and its conclusion will strengthen Nigeria’s defence architecture and enhance the capacity of our armed forces.”
According to the Ministry of Defence, the agreement will run for an initial period of five years, with provision for review and renewal for another similar term.
Either of the two countries may also terminate the agreement at any time by giving at least three months’ written notice through diplomatic channels.
The MoU provides a comprehensive framework for defence cooperation in areas such as training, joint military exercises, technical assistance, intelligence exchange, logistics and other mutually agreed activities.
Under the capacity-building component, Nigerian military personnel will benefit from expanded professional education, specialist courses and training exchanges.
The agreement is also expected to improve operational effectiveness through joint exercises and shared doctrines aimed at boosting interoperability among the armed forces.
On internal security, the MoU will strengthen cooperation in counter-terrorism, counter-insurgency and intelligence sharing to support Nigeria’s fight against violent extremism and organised crime.
The Ministry of Defence stated that the pact would contribute to long-term security, stability and defence modernisation efforts in Nigeria.