Nigeria’s expanding security partnership with Türkiye will not undermine its long-standing defence relationship with the United States, Defence Minister General Christopher Musa (retd.) has said, as Abuja leans further into a non-aligned security posture amid competing global powers.
- Nigeria upholds diverse defence partnerships to maintain a balanced international stance.
- The country continues its longstanding defence collaboration with the United States despite expanding ties with Türkiye.
- Defence Minister Christopher Musa assured that Nigeria’s non-aligned approach fosters relations with multiple friendly nations.
- This strategy is aligned with a broader trend in Africa of diversifying defence suppliers while maintaining traditional alliances.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Musa pushed back against concerns that Nigeria’s growing defence engagements with Türkiye could strain ties with Washington, particularly at a time when the US continues to provide military support to Nigeria’s counterterrorism campaign.
“Nigeria is now a non-aligned nation, which means we can partner with everybody. Once you are a friendly nation to us, we are friends, and we can relate directly,” Musa said. “That is why we can deal with China, Türkiye, and the United States. The idea of isolating yourself with just one group is not the best for anybody.”
Nigeria has maintained close security cooperation with the United States for years, reinforced under President Donald Trump, who initiated moves to intensify counterterrorism collaboration as Boko Haram and Islamic State-linked groups escalated attacks across Nigeria.
That partnership has centred on intelligence sharing, training, and selective military assistance, even as US arms sales remain constrained by regulatory and human rights conditions.
Africa’s defence hedging strategy
Nigeria’s approach mirrors a broader trend across Africa, where governments are increasingly hedging between traditional Western partners and emerging defence suppliers. Countries such as Egypt, Somalia, Libya, Tunisia, and Kenya maintain deep security ties with the United States, often focused on training, intelligence, and counterterrorism while simultaneously expanding defence cooperation with Türkiye.
Ankara’s growing appeal lies in its rapidly expanding defence industry, particularly in drones, armoured vehicles, and tactical systems, which are often delivered faster and with fewer political conditions than US hardware.
Türkiye has paired equipment sales with training programmes and long-term security agreements, giving it a widening footprint across the continent.
Musa said maintaining diverse defence partnerships gives Nigeria strategic leverage, pointing to Egypt as an example of a country that benefits from cooperation with multiple global powers.
“You can see in Egypt that they have support from several countries. It is important to keep that leverage so you can continue to move forward,” he said.
For Nigeria, the calculus is pragmatic rather than ideological. Facing insurgency, banditry, and maritime threats, Abuja is seeking flexibility, not alignment.
