The Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen defence and military cooperation between the two countries.
According to the Defence Ministry’s spokesperson, Endrerline Chukwu, the MoU was signed by authorised representatives of both governments: the Government of Nigeria was represented by the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle, while the Kingdom of 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,” Matawalle said, adding that, “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.”
The statement slso revealed that the MoU will be in force for an initial term of five (5) years and may be reviewed and renewed for a similar period. Either party may terminate the MoU at any time by giving at least three (3) months’ written notice to the other party through diplomatic channels.
The MoU establishes a framework for cooperation on defence and military matters, including training, joint exercises, technical assistance, intelligence exchange, logistics, and other mutually agreed activities, and is expected to deliver tangible benefits to Nigeria, including: Capacity building and training: Expanded opportunities for professional military education, specialist courses and training exchanges to raise the skill levels of Nigerian personnel; Operational effectiveness: Joint exercises and shared doctrine will improve interoperability and operational readiness across Nigeria’s armed forces; Counter-terrorism and internal security: Enhanced cooperation in counter-terrorism, counter-insurgency and intelligence sharing to support efforts against violent extremism and organised crime.
“The Ministry of Defence welcomes the MoU as a practical and strategic instrument that will contribute to Nigeria’s long-term security, stability and defence modernization”, Chukwu stated.
