The European Union (EU) is planning to provide €20 million in defence assistance to the Nigerian Armed Forces to strengthen the country’s security operations.
The proposed support will be provided under the European Peace Facility. It was discussed during a meeting between Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, and the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, in Abuja.
According to a statement issued on Saturday by Leah Katung-Babatunde, the minister’s Special Assistant on Media, an EU technical delegation is expected to visit Abuja in November to finalise the details of the proposed assistance.
During the meeting, both parties reviewed ongoing security cooperation between Nigeria and the European Union. Mignot also commended Musa’s efforts to improve the country’s security situation and invited him to a meeting of defence ministers scheduled to hold in Brussels later this year.
Nigeria Expects New Military Equipment
Musa thanked the EU for its continued support and reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to protecting lives and promoting national development.
The defence minister said security conditions were gradually improving in some troubled areas due to the efforts of the armed forces and other security agencies.
However, he acknowledged that kidnapping along major highways and attacks on remote communities remained significant security challenges.
To strengthen military operations, Musa disclosed that Nigeria was expecting the delivery of 10 attack helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and other military equipment.
The expected deliveries are aimed at improving the capacity of security forces to respond to threats and protect vulnerable communities.
Lake Chad Security Remains a Priority
The minister also raised concerns about the shrinking Lake Chad Basin, which supports more than 50 million people across the region.
He warned that the environmental changes affecting the basin could contribute to instability, particularly in communities already facing security and economic challenges.
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Musa identified the denial of terrorist groups’ access to their hideouts on the islands of Lake Chad as a major operational priority for the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF).
The regional force brings together countries working to combat insurgency and other security threats around the Lake Chad Basin.
Musa Calls for Support for Conflict Victims
The minister also highlighted the importance of the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) programme, stressing that it should give priority to victims of the conflict.
He said affected military personnel should also receive appropriate attention under the initiative.
Meanwhile, Mignot commended a recent conference involving past and present commanders of the Multinational Joint Task Force. Representatives of the African Union and the Lake Chad Basin Commission also attended the meeting.
The proposed €20 million assistance represents another step in Nigeria’s security cooperation with the European Union as the country continues efforts to tackle terrorism, kidnapping and other security threats.
However, the final details of the support are expected to emerge after the EU technical delegation’s planned visit to Abuja in November.
