By Gurara Correspondent
Nigeria has called on African countries to strengthen their defence capabilities, reduce dependence on foreign military equipment and take greater responsibility for shaping the continent’s security future.
The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), OFR, made the call during a strategic engagement with visiting African Ministers of Defence and Chiefs of Defence Staff at the just-concluded African Defence Exhibition and Conference (AFRIDEX 2026) in Lagos.
Musa said Africa must move away from being a theatre of external geopolitical competition to becoming a self-reliant and influential player in global security decisions.
He reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to continental solidarity, collective security and the rapid development of indigenous defence capabilities, stressing that defence partnerships must reflect African priorities and respect the sovereignty of individual nations.
The Minister noted that growing geopolitical competition and external interference had made it necessary for African countries to adopt a common position anchored on national sovereignty and strategic autonomy.
He also called for stronger African representation in global security decision-making, alongside improved coordination among continental, regional and national defence institutions through the African Union Peace and Security Architecture.
Addressing security challenges across the Sahel, Lake Chad Basin, Horn of Africa and parts of Central and Southern Africa, Musa said terrorism, violent extremism and organised crime required coordinated regional responses rather than fragmented national efforts.
He expressed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening cross-regional cooperation between ECOWAS member states and the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), while advocating diplomatic and peacebuilding initiatives to address prolonged conflicts in Sudan and eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Defence Minister further emphasised the need for integrated governance approaches to tackle the root causes of instability and improve civilian protection across the continent.
On defence industrialisation, Musa identified Africa’s dependence on foreign military equipment, spare parts and technical support as a major vulnerability, urging countries to embrace local production, technology transfer and joint maintenance ventures.
He also advocated transforming the African Standby Force into a fully operational, strategically mobile and adequately funded security capability
In addition, he called for improved maritime domain awareness and coordinated naval exercises to protect strategic sea routes, particularly in the Gulf of Guinea and the Red Sea.
To ensure the implementation of resolutions reached at the conference, the Minister proposed a structured follow-up mechanism among participating defence institutions to coordinate joint training, intelligence sharing and defence industrial partnerships.
“Africa’s security future must ultimately be determined by the collective resolve, capabilities, and strategic choices of African nations. Nigeria stands ready to work shoulder-to-shoulder with all partners toward a secure, united, and self-reliant continent,” he said.
The meeting congratulated Nigeria on successfully organising the maiden African Defence Exhibition and Conference, pledging support for its sustainability as an important platform for advancing Africa’s defence cooperation and security sovereignty.
