Nigeria and Gambia have formalised military cooperation, ending years of delay.



A brief ceremony on the Memorandum of Understanding signing was held at the Ministry of Defence headquarters in Abuja.

Defence Minister, Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (rtd) and the Gambian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mohamadou Musa Njie signed for their countries.

They agreed that the development would help the nations collaborate to tackle common threats.

After the ceremonial signing of the legal document and the symbolic exchange of the instrument, the representatives pledged to operationalise the terms and conditions of the MoU.

Specific instances and references were made on the expectations from the diplomatic tie.

They include boosting of the hitherto existing joint military manoeuvrability, operability as well as tactical and technical synergy.

Other areas are enhanced Intelligence sharing, capacity building and robust counter transnational strategy to decisively fight adversaries threatening the corporate existence of the two coastal entities.

Nigeria and Gambia share common membership of African Union (AU), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and geographical similarities.

Nigeria has more than two hundred forces serving in the ECOWAS Mission in the Gambia, ECOMIG, and enlisted Gambian military personel into various institutions in the country.