The chief of the South African army, Lawrence Mbatha, has called for stronger military cooperation between Nigeria and South Africa to promote peace and stability and enhance continental security.

Mr Mbatha made the call in Abuja during a gala night organised in his honour as part of his official working visit to Nigeria.

He said both countries, as leading powers on the continent, had a responsibility to deepen military collaboration to address emerging security challenges facing Africa.

According to him, Africa’s place in the global order requires its leading nations to strengthen strategic partnerships and work together to tackle threats such as terrorism, insurgency and other asymmetric security challenges.

Mr Mbatha said his visit aimed at deepening defence diplomacy and strengthening army-to-army cooperation between the two countries.

He expressed admiration for Nigeria’s military training institutions and operational experience in tackling complex security threats.

Mr Mbatha also said he directed his office to prepare an invitation for his Nigerian counterpart to visit South Africa as part of efforts to deepen bilateral military relations.

According to him, stronger cooperation between both armies will help advance the collective goal of ensuring lasting peace and stability in Africa.

Army chief Waidi Shaibu said the visit was strategic and timely, aimed at strengthening the long-standing relationship and army-to-army cooperation between Nigeria and South Africa.

Mr Shaibu said the partnership between both countries had historically been anchored in shared values, mutual respect, and a collective commitment to peace, security, and development across Africa.

He noted that both countries continued to collaborate in areas such as military education exchange programmes, peace support operations, capacity development and regional stabilisation initiatives.

The army chief said the evolving security environment in Africa, including terrorism, insurgency, banditry and transnational organised crimes, required stronger cooperation among African militaries.

According to him, the visit provided an opportunity for both armies to share operational experiences, strengthen institutional cooperation and explore new areas of collaboration in capacity building, leadership development, intelligence sharing and doctrinal advancement.

Mr Shaibu reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to building a highly professional, well-trained and combat-ready force capable of addressing contemporary and emerging threats within a joint and multi-agency environment.

He said military diplomacy remained a critical tool in strengthening trust, fostering mutual understanding and building enduring institutional relationships among allied armies.

Mr Shaibu added that the Nigerian Army would continue to pursue collaborative engagements with partner militaries across the continent to advance collective security and stability.

(NAN)