By Joy Odor Abuja
Nigeria and South Africa have stepped up efforts to cement their defence and security partnership as top military and government officials converged in Abuja Tuesday for the 6th Nigeria–South Africa Bi-National Commission Defence and Security Committee meeting.
The five-day high-level talks, held at the Nigerian Army Conference Centre, Asokoro, are expected to sharpen cooperation in counterterrorism, maritime security, peacekeeping operations and intelligence sharing, while also addressing emerging threats across the continent.
Declaring the session open, Acting Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Dr. Sunday Attah, described the committee as a “critical mechanism for measuring progress, confronting new security realities and advancing joint strategies.”
He hailed the 5th session in Johannesburg as having laid the groundwork for the current deliberations, stressing that both nations must build on existing frameworks such as the Police Agreement (2001) and Defence Cooperation Agreement (2013).
“As two leading nations on the African continent, Nigeria and South Africa share a responsibility to safeguard regional peace, stability and security,” Attah stated, calling the partnership “a strong pillar of African solidarity, rooted in mutual respect and a vision for a secure continent.”
Leader of the South African delegation, Mr. Simeon Dumisani Dladla, echoed the sentiment, noting that the talks would not only reinforce defence collaboration but also expand training opportunities, boost intelligence cooperation, and drive partnerships in the defence industry.
The Abuja meeting brings together senior representatives of both countries, alongside key ministries, departments, agencies and stakeholders, with expectations of concrete outcomes to consolidate defence and security cooperation at bilateral and continental levels.
