Nigeria and Saudi Arabia Seal Five-Year Defence Pact on Joint Military Training, Strategic Intelligence Sharing, and Capacity Building

Nigeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have formalized a major strategic alliance by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Defence and Military Cooperation, aimed at significantly boosting Nigeria’s military capacity and enhancing collective security efforts. The signing ceremony took place today, Tuesday, December 9, 2025, in Riyadh.

The agreement was signed by Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, and the Assistant Minister of Defence for Executive Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Dr. Khaled H. Al-Biyari. Dr. Matawalle described the pact as a “significant milestone” that had been long in the making, asserting that its conclusion would fundamentally strengthen Nigeria’s defence architecture and expand the capabilities of its armed forces.

The new MoU establishes a comprehensive framework for cooperation across various strategic areas. Key pillars of the partnership include expanded Capacity Building and Training, offering Nigerian personnel access to professional military education and specialist courses. Crucially, the pact outlines enhanced cooperation in Intelligence Sharing and Counter-Terrorism efforts to support Nigeria’s internal security operations against banditry and violent extremism. The agreement also provides for Joint Military Exercises, technical assistance, logistics support, and collaboration on defence production to improve the interoperability and operational readiness of both nations’ armed forces.

The Ministry of Defence in Abuja welcomed the development, noting that the agreement is expected to run for an initial period of five years, with provisions for renewal upon mutual review, and represents a practical and strategic instrument for Nigeria’s long-term security, stability, and defence modernization goals.