ABUJA, September 30, 2026 — Nigeria and the United States have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening military cooperation, particularly in the fight against terrorism and other regional security threats.
According to a statement signed by Leah Katung-Babatunde, Special Assistant (Media) to the Honourable Minister of Defence, the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), OFR, made the commitment on Wednesday in Abuja when he received Major General Matthew Brown, Commander of the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), on an official working visit.
The statement said the meeting focused on reviewing ongoing joint security initiatives and developing a more result-oriented strategic framework for future defence collaboration between Nigeria and the United States.
General Musa expressed appreciation to the U.S. Government for its sustained partnership, noting that collaborative security operations in the North-East, particularly around the Lake Chad Basin, had significantly boosted troop morale.
The Minister identified key areas for enhanced cooperation, including specialised joint training for Special Forces, intelligence sharing and capacity building, enhanced border surveillance and security, counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED) support, and modernisation of defence infrastructure.
In his remarks, Major General Brown extended early Independence Day felicitations to Nigeria and expressed appreciation for the decades-long military-to-military relationship between both countries.
He highlighted successful counter-terrorism engagements against ISIS-affiliated groups in Africa and commended the troops involved.
The U.S. commander also clarified that U.S. military activities in Nigeria are temporary and focused primarily on institutional support and collaboration, following the departure of personnel who formed part of the Combined Special Task Force that operated in the Bauchi area.
According to the statement, Brown described the bilateral relationship as strategic and founded on mutual trust, adding that the primary objective of his visit was to gain a direct understanding of Nigeria’s defence priorities.
He said the understanding would help align broader U.S. support with Nigeria’s security needs and strengthen ongoing bilateral intelligence-sharing efforts.
