Defence ties between the UK and Nigeria have been strengthened
following a visit from Lord this week.
The UK Defence Minister for the House of Lords, Lord , visited Abuja and Maiduguri
this week to meet top defence and security leaders, reaffirm the
UK's commitment to our Security and Defence Partnership and
discuss issues of mutual concern in the region.
The UK and Nigeria share a strong defence relationship,
underpinned by over three decades of collaboration between our
armed forces. Through our partnership we continue to enhance
security, counter violent extremism and promote regional
stability.
In Abuja, the Minister met the Honourable Minister of Defence and
the Minister of State for Defence, the Chief of Defence Training
and Operations, the National Security Adviser and the President
of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). These
meetings underscored Nigeria and ECOWAS' continued leadership in
promoting regional security and the UK's continued commitment to
supporting Nigeria's priority security objectives.
also travelled to Maiduguri,
Borno State, a primary focus of Nigeria's fight against terrorism
and violent extremism. The Minister visited a Disarmament,
Demobilization and Reintegration camp (DDR) to understand the
challenges of reconciliation and reintegration, and UK-led
counter-improvised explosive device (C-ED) training, funded by
the UK Integrated Security Fund.
This initiative is designed, at Nigeria's request, to enhance
capacity and improve response capabilities to address security
threats and instability. Meeting with Nigerian military personnel
who have benefitted from UK training programmes, the Minister
gained firsthand insight into the impact of UK-Nigeria security
cooperation.
Lord reaffirmed commitment to the
UK-Nigeria defence relationship:
This visit reflects the UK's steadfast commitment to working with
Nigeria to tackle shared security challenges. Witnessing the
results of our training programmes and engaging directly with
those on the frontlines reaffirms the importance of our
partnership in building a safer and more stable region.
The Minister's visit highlights the continued strength and
importance of the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership
(SDP) ahead of our third SDP dialogue in 2025.
