Nigeria, Bangladesh Move to Deepen Defence Cooperation on Counter-Terrorism, Drone Warfare

ABUJA : Nigeria and Bangladesh are set to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation, with emphasis on counter-terrorism, counter-insurgency, drone warfare, professional military education and strategic leadership development.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, disclosed this on Thursday, October 8, 2026, when he received the Bangladesh High Commissioner to Nigeria, His Excellency Miah Md Mainul Kabir, who paid a courtesy visit to the Army Headquarters in Abuja. Shaibu said the Nigerian Army was ready to share its operational experience and expertise with the Bangladesh Armed Forces, particularly in the areas of counter-terrorism, counter-insurgency, drone warfare technology and the humanitarian management of internally displaced persons. The Army Chief directed relevant departments at Army Headquarters to engage their Bangladeshi counterparts and other appropriate defence authorities with a view to developing joint training programmes and strategic frameworks capable of strengthening the operational and combat capabilities of both countries. According to him, the proposed cooperation would provide an avenue for Nigeria and Bangladesh to leverage their respective military experiences and professional expertise while building stronger institutional relationships between their armed forces. A major outcome of the engagement was the proposal to establish a National Defence College Bangladesh Alumni Association, bringing together Nigerian military personnel who have attended strategic-level courses at military institutions in Bangladesh. Lieutenant General Shaibu noted that a number of senior Nigerian military officers, including the Chief of Military Intelligence (Army) and the General Officer Commanding 1 Division, are graduates of military institutions in Bangladesh. He said the proposed alumni association would help institutionalise the longstanding relationship between the two countries while providing a structured platform for sustained training exchanges, technical cooperation and defence diplomacy. The Chief of Army Staff also underscored the importance of professional military education in preparing military leaders to confront emerging and increasingly complex security threats. He said enhanced strategic education and leadership development remained critical to strengthening the capacity of the Armed Forces to respond effectively to contemporary security challenges. Responding, High Commissioner Kabir expressed condolences to the Nigerian Army over the recent military aircraft crash in Ondo State. The Bangladeshi envoy also commended Nigeria for its longstanding contributions to United Nations peacekeeping operations, describing the country's participation as an important contribution to global peace and security. Kabir disclosed that 154 Nigerian military officers have so far participated in courses at the Bangladesh National Defence College, describing the educational relationship between the two countries as a strong foundation upon which broader military cooperation could be built. He called for increased institutional exchanges involving the Foreign Service Academy and military training institutions of both countries, stressing that such engagements would promote strategic leadership development and further strengthen bilateral relations. The proposed expansion of defence cooperation comes at a time when both Nigeria and Bangladesh are confronted with evolving security challenges that increasingly require international cooperation, professional military exchanges, technological adaptation and the sharing of operational knowledge. For Nigeria, the partnership provides an opportunity to project its extensive experience in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations while gaining from Bangladesh's own professional military education and institutional experiences. The proposed collaboration is therefore expected to deepen military-to-military relations between the two countries through structured training, strategic education, technical cooperation and sustained institutional engagement.