FG to Partner Denmark on Defence Cooperation

The Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation has said that the Federal Government is set to partner with Denmark on Defence Cooperation.

The Ministry stated this in an October 16 statement from the Press Director’s office via Twitter (X).

According to the statement, Defence Minister, Dr. Bello Muhammed Matawalle received the Denmark Ambassador to Nigeria, Amb. Sune Krogstrup where they discussed a potential partnership.

The report stated:

“The Minister of State for Defense, Dr. Bello Muhammed Matawalle MON has said that the Federal Government of Nigeria is ready to partner with the Government of Denmark on Defense Cooperations. The Minister stated this when the Denmark Ambassador to Nigeria Amb. Sune Krogstrup paid him a working visit to Ship House.

“He said that the two countries over the years have been friendly and bonded well in other areas like business rather than Defence cooperation.

“It’s high time for Nigeria and Denmark to deepen mutual cooperation and the Ministry is open for partnerships and collaborations for the promotion of peace and security in Nigeria,” he said.

“Matawalle pointed out that both countries’ technical teams should meet, discuss and come up with a workable template to further build on Defence Cooperation, equipment as well as intelligent gathering between the two countries.

“Earlier in his remarks, Amb. Sune Krogstrup said that the purpose of their visit was to gain a wider knowledge for their proposition on Defense Cooperation and to strengthen the relationship between both countries.”

Currently, Nigeria grapples with significant security challenges spanning different regions, including terrorism, crude oil theft, kidnapping, maritime piracy, and banditry, fueling the need for security collaborations.

Days ago, it was reported that the Indian and Nigerian navies planned to enhance their collaboration through various training activities to boost interoperability and anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Guinea.

The activities include cross-deck visitations, training sessions, and joint exercises aboard Nigerian Navy vessels. In September 2023, during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s visit to New Delhi, India for the G-20 Summit, he engaged with the business community, resulting in a commitment of $1 billion to support the Defense Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) in achieving 40% self-sufficiency by 2027.

DICON, operated by the Nigerian Armed Forces, plays a crucial role in the country’s defence.

Note that in the country’s 2023 budget, a substantial allocation of N1.25 trillion was designated for defence for the year. Here’s a breakdown of the allocations:

Defence Ministry: N1,248,170,610,116

Defence Headquarters: N84,717,595,133

Defence Research: N3,453,827,664

Nigerian Army: N638,108,156,198

Navy: N158,790,615,183

Airforce: N174,423,669,604