The European Union (EU) is set to provide €20 million in defence assistance to the Nigerian Armed Forces as both sides move to strengthen security cooperation and address persistent threats across the country.
The proposed assistance will be delivered through the European Peace Facility (EPF), according to a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday by Leah Katung-Babatunde, Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Defence.
The announcement followed a meeting between Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, and the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Gautier Mignot.
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The meeting, held at Ship House in Abuja, focused on existing defence agreements and opportunities to improve security collaboration between Nigeria and the European bloc.
According to the statement, Mignot disclosed that an EU technical delegation would visit Nigeria in November to discuss and finalise the arrangements for delivering the €20 million support package.
The EU ambassador also commended the defence minister for his efforts to improve Nigeria’s security situation and invited him to attend a meeting of defence ministers in Brussels later in the year.
Musa expressed appreciation for the EU’s continued assistance, reaffirming President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s commitment to protecting lives and property and improving national security.
Nigeria Continues to Face Security Threats
The defence minister said security conditions were gradually improving in some troubled areas, attributing the progress to the efforts of the armed forces and other security agencies.
However, he acknowledged that kidnapping along major highways and attacks on remote communities remained serious concerns requiring sustained military operations.
Musa also disclosed that Nigeria was expecting the delivery of 10 attack helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and other essential military equipment to strengthen operational capabilities.
He further highlighted the shrinking Lake Chad Basin as a potential source of instability, noting that more than 50 million people depend on the region for their livelihoods.
According to the minister, preventing terrorist groups from using islands in Lake Chad as operational bases remains a major priority for the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF).
Musa also addressed Nigeria’s Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) programme, stressing that the initiative would give priority to victims of the conflict, including affected military personnel.
The proposed EU assistance forms part of Nigeria’s wider efforts to strengthen its defence capabilities through international partnerships and domestic military production.
In October 2024, the United Kingdom donated non-lethal military equipment valued at approximately ₦1 billion to the Nigerian Armed Forces to support operations in the North-East.
In January 2026, the United States also delivered military supplies to Nigeria for counterterrorism and internal security operations.
Nigeria has simultaneously pursued efforts to expand local defence manufacturing. In April 2026, the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) signed a memorandum of understanding with EIB Group to support the development and production of unmanned systems, military hardware and digital defence technologies.
The latest proposed EU assistance underscores the continuing role of international partnerships in Nigeria’s efforts to improve military capacity and respond to evolving security threats.
Further details on the equipment and other forms of assistance to be funded under the €20 million package are expected to emerge as discussions with the EU technical delegation progress.
