European Union pledges €20m defence support to Nigeria

The European Union plans to provide €20 million in defence assistance to the Armed Forces of Nigeria through the European Peace Facility. The proposal was discussed during a meeting in Abuja between Nigerian Defence Minister Christopher Musa and the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot.

An EU technical delegation is expected to visit Nigeria in November to finalize the details of the assistance. The meeting also addressed ongoing security cooperation and bilateral defence arrangements. Ambassador Mignot invited Minister Musa to a meeting of defence ministers in Brussels scheduled for later this year.

Minister Musa noted that while security agencies are gradually restoring peace in some areas, challenges such as highway kidnappings and attacks on isolated communities persist. He also mentioned that Nigeria is awaiting the delivery of 10 attack helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, and other military equipment. Additionally, Musa highlighted the shrinking of the Lake Chad Basin as a potential driver of regional instability and emphasized the importance of denying terrorists access to islands within the area.