Nigerian Army Deepens Defence Ties with Rwanda, as COAS Calls for Modern Military Training, Exchange Programmes

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to strengthening African-led defence partnerships to combat terrorism, violent extremism and other transnational security threats undermining peace and stability across the continent.

The COAS made this known during a courtesy visit to the Chief of Defence Staff of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), General Mubarakh Muganga, in Kigali, the Republic of Rwanda. The visit formed part of his ongoing official working visit aimed at deepening bilateral military cooperation and advancing collective security initiatives.

Lieutenant General Shaibu also underscored the importance of modern military training, professional military education and cadet exchange programmes in developing combat-ready, adaptable and interoperable armed forces.

According to a statement by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, the COAS made this call during a visit to the Rwanda Military Academy (RMA), Gako, as part of his official working visit to Rwanda.

Colonel Anele said the engagement highlighted the imperative for African nations to take greater responsibility for addressing shared security challenges through sustained military cooperation, intelligence-sharing, joint capacity development and coordinated responses to emerging threats.

Lieutenant General Shaibu emphasised the strategic importance of strengthening military-to-military relations, particularly in counter-terrorism, counter-insurgency, professional military education and the exchange of operational experiences.

He said these areas of cooperation were critical to enhancing interoperability, operational readiness and the capacity of African armed forces to confront increasingly complex and interconnected security threats.

The COAS commended the Academy’s training standards, discipline and professionalism, particularly the tactical proficiency demonstrated during a Special Forces display.

He stressed that evolving security threats demanded innovative training, sound leadership and operational adaptability, noting that professional military education remained essential to producing competent officers capable of operating effectively in complex security environments.

Lieutenant General Shaibu urged the Academy’s leadership to prepare for the arrival of the first batch of Nigerian officer cadets under the proposed exchange programme.

He advocated leveraging the experiences of both countries in counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency to enrich military training, strengthen operational planning and enhance interoperability in addressing shared security challenges.

Earlier, the representative of the Commandant, Brigadier General Bukenya, said the Academy developed professional military leaders through rigorous training in military tactics, leadership, discipline and physical fitness.

He added that its programmes equipped cadets with essential skills in peace support operations, operational planning and logistics management.

Brigadier General Bukenya welcomed the proposed training partnership, reaffirming the Academy’s commitment to strengthening military education and defence cooperation between Nigeria and Rwanda.

The visit reinforced the Nigerian Army’s drive to enhance professional training, deepen military partnerships and prepare future commanders for the demands of modern warfare and regional security.

It further underscored the importance of African-led security solutions anchored in mutual trust, shared expertise and collective responsibility. The engagement also highlighted the need for stronger defence collaboration among African nations to prevent terrorist and criminal networks from exploiting national borders and regional security vulnerabilities.

The engagement aligns with the Nigerian Army’s commitment to strategic defence cooperation and the broader objective of building a more secure, stable and resilient African continent through sustainable, African-led security partnerships.