Nigeria and France have taken fresh steps to strengthen defence collaboration as part of ongoing efforts to improve national and regional security.
In a statement released on Wednesday by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel by Appolonia Anele, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, hosted the French Defence Attaché to Nigeria, Colonel Stéphane Useo, at the Army Headquarters in Abuja.
During the meeting, Shaibu praised France’s continued support in intelligence sharing, professional military training and operational readiness, describing the partnership as vital to Nigeria’s fight against evolving security threats. He reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to sustained bilateral cooperation focused on capacity building, advanced training and enhanced effectiveness.
Colonel Useo commended the resilience of the Nigerian Army in tackling insecurity and highlighted recent successful recovery operations in the Republic of Benin. He also called for expanded training opportunities, particularly in public relations and aviation, while noting the Nigerian Army School of Public Relations and Information as one of Africa’s leading institutions in civil-military communication.
Both sides emphasized the importance of deepening operational cooperation between the Nigerian Army and the French Armed Forces to address regional and global security challenges, reinforcing their shared commitment to stability and long-term defence capacity.
