# West African regional defense cooperation

> Developing situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/west-african-regional-defense-cooperation
> Updated: 2026-10-29T22:35:18.000Z. Sources: 3. Developments: 2.

Defense leaders in West Africa have engaged in high level meetings to strengthen bilateral and regional security ties. In mid October, the Chief of Defense Staff of the Gambia Armed Forces hosted the head of Guinea-Bissau’s National Transition Council in Banjul. Their discussions focused on professional military cooperation, personnel exchanges, and joint training to address shared security priorities and cross-border crime.

By late October, Nigeria and Sierra Leone pledged to deepen their own defense partnership during a meeting in Abuja. Military leaders from both nations committed to increased intelligence sharing and coordinated responses to terrorism and violent extremism. The Nigerian Chief of Army Staff emphasized the importance of strengthening defense ties within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to combat transnational threats.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-29: Nigeria and Sierra Leone pledge enhanced defense cooperation

Nigeria and Sierra Leone have agreed to strengthen defense ties through intelligence sharing and joint training to combat terrorism and transnational security threats in West Africa.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/nigeria-and-sierra-leone-pledge-enhanced-defense-cooperation

### 2026-10-14: Gambia and Guinea-Bissau defense chiefs meet to boost security ties

Gambia’s defense chief hosted Guinea-Bissau’s military leader Tomas Djassi in Banjul to strengthen security ties, joint training, and cooperation against cross-border crime.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/gambia-and-guinea-bissau-defense-chiefs-meet-to-boost-security-ties

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Cite as: West African regional defense cooperation. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/west-african-regional-defense-cooperation