The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (Rtd) has known as on African nations to transition from being a theatre of exterior geopolitical competitors to turning into self-reliant, influential actors shaping world safety choices.
The Minister made the decision whereas delivering Nigeria’s resolve in a strategic engagement with visiting African Ministers of Defence and Chiefs of Defence Staff on the simply concluded African Defence Exhibition and Conference (AFRIDEX 2026) in Lagos.
The Minister in an announcement by his Special Assistant on Media Leah Katung-Babatunde reaffirmed Nigeria’s unwavering dedication to continental solidarity, collective safety, and the fast growth of indigenous defence capabilities.
General Musa said that rising world geopolitical competitors and exterior interference makes it crucial for Africa to champion a typical place rooted in nationwide sovereignty and strategic autonomy.
The Minister partnerships should henceforth align strictly with African-defined priorities fairly than perpetuate strategic dependence or undermined state sovereignty.
The Minister highlighted the centrality of the African Union Peace and Security Architecture (AU-PSA) and known as for stronger African illustration in world safety decision-making alongside better coherence throughout continental, regional, and nationwide defence frameworks.
The Minister addressing the safety local weather throughout the Sahel, Lake Chad Basin, Horn of Africa, and components of Central and Southern Africa confused that cross-border threats like terrorism, violent extremism, and organised crime can’t be solved via fragmented nationwide responses.
He due to this fact expressed Nigeria’s dedication to Cross-Regional Cooperation between ECOWAS member states and the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), Diplomatic & Peacebuilding Engagements to deal with protracted conflicts in Sudan and the jap Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in addition to Integrated Governance Models to deal with the basis causes of instability and promote civilian safety on the continent.
Highlighting Africa’s long-standing reliance on exterior army gear, spare components, and technical assist as a key vulnerability, General Musa advocated for a daring transition towards native defence manufacturing, expertise switch, and joint upkeep ventures.
To successfully safeguard the continent, the Minister confused the significance of turning the African Standby Force (ASF) into a totally operational, responsive, and strategically cellular functionality with sustainable financing.
Furthermore, he known as for enhanced maritime area consciousness and coordinated naval workouts to guard strategic sea traces of communication within the Gulf of Guinea and the Red Sea.
The Minister proposed the creation of a structured follow-up mechanism amongst taking part defence establishments to supervise joint coaching, intelligence fusion, and industrial joint ventures to make sure the discussions result in measurable outcomes.
He mentioned “Africa’s security future must ultimately be determined by the collective resolve, capabilities, and strategic choices of African nations. Nigeria stands ready to work shoulder-to-shoulder with all partners toward a secure, united, and self-reliant continent.”
