Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria — Nigeria’s military authorities have dismissed speculation that the country plans to host a foreign military base, stating that no such arrangement exists between Nigeria and the United States.
The clarification came from the Defence Headquarters of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the central command of the Nigerian Armed Forces responsible for coordinating the activities of the country’s army, navy, and air force.
The response followed public discussion and online speculation suggesting that recent defence cooperation between Nigeria and the United States could lead to the establishment of a United States military base on Nigerian territory.
Speaking during a live audio discussion on the social media platform Twitter, organised by Sunday Dare, the Special Adviser to the President of Nigeria on Media and Public Communications, the Director of Defence Information at Defence Headquarters, Major General S. M. Uba, explained that the relationship between the Nigerian Armed Forces and the United States Army does not include plans for a foreign military base.
“The partnership between Nigeria and the United States does not imply the establishment of a United States military base in Nigeria.
“The collaboration is purely based on bilateral military cooperation focused on professional training, operational capacity building, and intelligence sharing to strengthen Nigeria’s security capabilities. Such cooperation is not unique to the United States alone.
“Nigeria maintains similar defence partnerships with several other countries as part of its broader strategy to improve military professionalism and enhance its ability to address contemporary security challenges, including terrorism, insurgency, banditry, and transnational crimes,” Uba said.
Nigeria has faced several internal security challenges in recent years. These include an insurgency by armed extremist groups in the north-east of the country, violent criminal groups often described as bandits operating in parts of the north-west and north-central regions, and cross border organised crime.
Military officials say partnerships with international allies are designed to strengthen the professional capacity of Nigeria’s armed forces and improve operational effectiveness in addressing these threats.
Major General Uba explained that the cooperation between Nigeria and partner nations includes joint military training exercises, exchange of strategic intelligence, technical collaboration, and institutional knowledge sharing among defence organisations.
According to him, the programmes are intended to help Nigerian military personnel adopt global best practices while improving operational performance in protecting Nigeria’s territorial integrity and national security.
Okay News reports that Nigeria has historically worked with several international partners on security cooperation, particularly in areas such as counter terrorism operations, military education, and intelligence coordination.
Uba also emphasised that all international military collaborations involving Nigeria are conducted in line with the country’s sovereignty and national interests.
He again stressed that there are no plans to establish any foreign military base in Nigeria.
During the same discussion, Sunday Dare said the administration of Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, remains focused on strengthening the country’s defence and security system through international cooperation that supports the training and modernisation of the armed forces.
Dare explained that the government views strategic global partnerships as an important tool for improving the operational readiness and professional standards of Nigeria’s military institutions.
