Nigeria, Cameroon deepen defence ties with new border security MoU

Nigeria and Cameroon have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at enhancing security along their shared southern border, in a major step toward strengthening regional stability and improving coordinated responses to emerging security threats across land and maritime domains.

The agreement was signed on Tuesday in Yaoundé by Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd), and Cameroon’s Minister Delegate at the Presidency in Charge of Defence, Joseph Beti Assomo, following two days of high-level technical discussions between defence and security officials from both countries.

According to a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Minister of Defence on Media, Leah Katung-Babatunde, the MoU establishes a modernised framework for bilateral defence cooperation, building on longstanding security ties between Nigeria and Cameroon while addressing evolving cross-border threats.

The agreement is designed to strengthen coordination along the Nigeria–Cameroon southern border, with particular emphasis on both terrestrial and maritime security operations.

It also seeks to enhance existing mechanisms for joint responses to criminal activities, insurgency risks, and other security challenges affecting both nations.

Under the new framework, both countries agreed to deepen collaboration in several key areas, including intelligence sharing, joint military operations, logistics support, personnel exchanges, joint training exercises, and coordinated responses to security threats across shared operational spaces.

READ ALSO: Army intervenes as Cameroonian soldiers enter Cross River community

Speaking at the signing ceremony, General Musa said the MoU would institutionalise military cooperation between both countries and provide a structured mechanism for addressing mutual security concerns more effectively.

He also highlighted the importance of strengthening maritime security cooperation, noting the need to operationalise the recently established Combined Maritime Joint Task Force.

The initiative is expected to play a critical role in safeguarding the Gulf of Guinea, a strategically important region where both countries have significant economic and security interests.

General Musa further stressed the importance of defence industrial cooperation, reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to expanding collaboration in defence technology, innovation, and local production capacity.

He noted that Africa’s defence challenges are partly driven by limited indigenous manufacturing capabilities and called for stronger regional partnerships to bridge existing gaps in military hardware production and technological development.

The minister also referenced Nigeria’s Defence Industries Corporation framework, stating that it provides opportunities for collaboration in research, development, technology transfer, and capacity building within the defence sector.

In his response, Cameroon’s Minister Delegate at the Presidency in Charge of Defence, Joseph Beti Assomo, expressed his country’s readiness to deepen cooperation with Nigeria in defence innovation and technological development.

He revealed that discussions are ongoing toward finalising a formal proposal framework that would translate the commitments into concrete bilateral programmes in defence technology and industrial cooperation.

Both countries emphasised that the agreement represents a significant milestone in Nigeria–Cameroon relations, reflecting their shared commitment to promoting peace, protecting territorial integrity, and strengthening collective security through sustained strategic partnership.

The MoU is expected to further consolidate cooperation between the two neighbouring countries as they confront increasingly complex security challenges in the sub-region, particularly along their porous border areas and maritime corridors.