Esther Oseyiomon
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has held bilateral talks with senior military and diplomatic officials from six countries and the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) to strengthen Nigeria’s defence partnerships and enhance cooperation in tackling emerging security threats.
The engagements took place on the sidelines of the ongoing African International Defence Exhibition (AFRIDEX) 2026 in Lagos, with discussions focusing on defence technology, military training, intelligence cooperation, capacity building and operational collaboration.
Among the officials received by Oluyede were the Ambassador of Poland to Nigeria, Mr Michał Cygan, and military chiefs from Italy, Guinea-Bissau, the Kingdom of Eswatini, the United Arab Emirates and the United States.
The CDS also met the Commander of the United States Africa Command, Gen. Dagvin Anderson; the Chief of Defence Staff of the Italian Armed Forces, Gen. Luciano Portolano; the Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of Guinea-Bissau, Lt.-Gen. Ibrahima Sory Bangoura; the Commander of the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force, Gen. Hulumende Fakudze; and Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Sultan Yousef Al Nuaimi of the UAE.
During the meeting with the Polish ambassador, who led a delegation of defence industry executives, discussions centred on opportunities for cooperation in defence technology, equipment acquisition and capacity development.
The engagement with AFRICOM focused on sustaining the strategic defence partnership between Nigeria and the United States, while talks with Italy explored cooperation in military training, maritime security and specialised capabilities, including police training.
The discussions with Guinea-Bissau reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to regional stability, respect for national sovereignty and defence capacity development. Similarly, engagements with Eswatini and the UAE highlighted opportunities to deepen strategic relations, promote defence-industrial cooperation and strengthen joint responses to transnational security threats.
Oluyede emphasised the importance of sustained military-to-military dialogue and mutually beneficial partnerships in improving operational effectiveness and promoting regional and global peace and stability.
The engagements, according to the statement, reaffirmed the Armed Forces of Nigeria’s commitment to defence diplomacy and strategic cooperation in advancing the country’s national security interests and contributing to peace and security across Nigeria, Africa and the world.