The European Union (EU) has pledged €20 million in defence assistance to the Armed Forces of Nigeria as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s security capabilities and tackle persistent insecurity.
The proposed assistance was discussed during a meeting between Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), and the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Gautier Mignot, at the Ministry of Defence headquarters in Abuja.
The minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Leah Katung-Babatunde, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Saturday, October 17, 2026.
According to the statement, the assistance will be provided under the EU’s European Peace Facility. A technical delegation from the bloc is expected to visit Nigeria in November to finalise arrangements for the delivery of the support.
The meeting also focused on existing bilateral defence agreements and ways to strengthen security cooperation between Nigeria and the European Union.
Mignot commended the Nigerian government’s efforts to address the country’s security challenges and invited Musa to attend a meeting of defence ministers scheduled to take place in Brussels later this year.
In his response, Musa expressed appreciation for the EU’s continued support and reiterated President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s commitment to protecting lives and property while promoting national development.
The defence minister noted that military operations and other security initiatives had contributed to the gradual restoration of relative peace in some troubled parts of the country. However, he acknowledged that kidnappings along major highways and attacks on isolated communities remained significant concerns.
Musa also disclosed that Nigeria was expecting the delivery of 10 attack helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and other military equipment to strengthen ongoing security operations.
Addressing regional security concerns, the minister identified the shrinking Lake Chad Basin, which supports the livelihoods of more than 50 million people, as a potential source of instability.
He stressed that preventing terrorists from using islands within Lake Chad as operational bases remained a major priority for the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), which coordinates regional efforts to combat insurgency.
Musa further emphasised the need to prioritise victims of conflict under the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) programme, noting that military personnel affected by the conflict should also receive appropriate consideration.
The proposed EU assistance is expected to reinforce Nigeria’s defence cooperation with the bloc as the country continues efforts to address insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and other security threats.
