Nigeria, Israel set to strengthen military cooperation as defence industry reform advances
Nigeria is strengthening its defence ties with Israel as part of broader efforts to modernize its military and reform its defence industry for greater global collaboration.
This was revealed during a courtesy visit by the Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, to the Ministry of Defence headquarters in Abuja, where he met with the Permanent Secretary, Ambassador Gabriel Tanimu Aduda.
During the meeting, both officials explored avenues for deeper military cooperation, including joint operations, knowledge exchange, and enhanced training for the Nigerian Armed Forces.
A key highlight of their discussions was the move to finalize a new bilateral defence agreement aimed at technical collaboration and capacity building in defence industry development.
Ambassador Aduda reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strategic defence partnerships, especially in the face of rising global security challenges.
He noted that the Ministry is drawing inspiration from successful Israeli military cooperation frameworks as it works to overhaul Nigeria’s national defence architecture.
“The Ministry will engage in strategic initiatives to replicate successful Israeli military cooperation frameworks in Nigeria, thereby enhancing our national defence architecture,” Aduda stated.
He also disclosed that the Ministry is reforming the Defence Industry Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) to improve regulation and boost domestic arms production.
The revamped structure will feature a regulatory arm to oversee and license participants in the defence sector, as well as a commercial arm tasked with partnering reputable international Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to produce arms, ammunition, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and armoured vehicles locally.
In his remarks, Ambassador Freeman described the growing partnership as a progressive step toward achieving innovative security solutions.
He extended a formal invitation to Ambassador Aduda and his team to visit Israel for further engagement and collaboration.
The renewed alliance marks a significant stride in Nigeria’s efforts to build a more resilient and self-sufficient defence sector while deepening strategic international partnerships.
