Nigeria, U.S. Deepen Defence Partnership as Defence Minister Hosts Former AFRICOM Commander
Oru Leonard
Nigeria and the United States have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral defence cooperation following a courtesy visit by former Commander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), William E. Ward, to the Ministry of Defence in Abuja.
The Honourable Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Richard Pheelangwah, received the retired U.S. Army General at the Ministry’s headquarters, Ship House, on Friday.
Conveying the Minister’s goodwill, Pheelangwah described General Ward as a distinguished military leader whose tenure as the inaugural AFRICOM Commander continues to influence security cooperation across Africa.
He reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to expanding its strategic defence partnership with the United States, noting that existing collaboration spans military training, intelligence sharing, counter-terrorism operations, maritime security, logistics, and professional military education.
The Permanent Secretary also stressed the growing importance of innovation, emerging technologies, and enhanced capacity-building in addressing evolving security threats in an increasingly complex global defence environment.
According to him, sustained cooperation between both countries remains critical to promoting regional stability and strengthening global security.
The meeting also provided an opportunity for extensive discussions on lessons for African militaries, the future of strategic defence partnerships, the application of innovation and artificial intelligence in defence planning, cybersecurity, and the development of future military leaders capable of operating across multiple domains.
In his remarks, General Ward commended Defence Minister General Christopher Musa for his leadership, both as Chief of Defence Staff and in his current role as Minister of Defence.
The former AFRICOM Commander also called for stronger economic relations between Nigeria and the United States, while emphasising the need for sustained efforts to tackle prevailing security challenges. He highlighted the importance of strong family values and underscored cybersecurity as an essential pillar of modern defence architecture.
The visit further reinforced the longstanding defence relationship between Nigeria and the United States and reflected both countries’ shared commitment to addressing emerging security challenges through enhanced cooperation.
