EU Pledges €20m in Defence Support to Nigeria

The European Union has pledged €20 million in defence support to the Nigerian military as the country continues to battle terrorism, kidnapping and attacks on communities.

The proposed assistance was discussed when Defence Minister Christopher Musa met with EU Ambassador to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States, Gautier Mignot, in Abuja.

Leah Katung-Babatunde, the minister’s special assistant on media, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.

She said the support would be provided under the European Peace Facility, an EU programme that funds peace and security efforts.

Katung-Babatunde said an EU technical delegation would visit Nigeria in November to agree on the details of the assistance.

Musa thanked the EU for its continued support and said the government remained committed to protecting lives and promoting national development.

He said relative peace was gradually returning to troubled parts of the country through the efforts of the armed forces and other security agencies.

However, he acknowledged that kidnapping along major highways and attacks on isolated communities remained challenges.

The minister also disclosed that Nigeria was expecting 10 attack helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles and other military equipment to strengthen security operations.

He identified the shrinking Lake Chad Basin, which supports more than 50 million people, as a source of instability.

Musa said denying terrorists access to hideouts on the islands of Lake Chad remained a key priority for the Multinational Joint Task Force, which fights insurgency in the region.

The planned assistance follows wider EU-Nigeria security cooperation.

In February, both sides held their first Peace, Security and Defence Dialogue to strengthen cooperation on regional security and other shared concerns.

The EU said its peace, security and defence cooperation with Nigeria exceeded €700 million between 2015 and 2025.

Musa also said Nigeria’s disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration programme would prioritise victims of conflict, including military personnel affected by the insurgency.

The November visit is expected to help determine how the €20 million support will be delivered.