Defence Minister Urges African Leaders to Become Influential Actors in Shaping Global Security Decisions

**Linus Aleke **in Abuja

The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd), has urged African leaders to transition from being a theatre of external geopolitical competition to becoming self-reliant and influential actors in shaping global security decisions.

According to a statement by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Defence, Leah Katung-Babatunde, General Musa also called for a decisive shift in Africa’s approach to global security.

Delivering Nigeria’s resolve in a strategic engagement with visiting African Ministers of Defence and Chiefs of Defence Staff at the just-concluded African Defence Exhibition and Conference (AFRIDEX 2026) in Lagos, the minister reaffirmed Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to continental solidarity, collective security, and the rapid development of indigenous defence capabilities.

Emphasising the need for a unified continental posture, General Musa stated that growing global geopolitical competition and external interference make it imperative for Africa to champion a common position rooted in national sovereignty and strategic autonomy.

Defence partnerships, the minister noted, must henceforth align strictly with African-defined priorities rather than perpetuate strategic dependence or undermine state sovereignty.

The minister highlighted the centrality of the African Union Peace and Security Architecture (AU-PSA) and called for stronger African representation in global security decision-making, alongside greater coherence across continental, regional, and national defence frameworks.

Addressing the security climate across the Sahel, Lake Chad Basin, Horn of Africa, and parts of Central and Southern Africa, the minister stressed that cross-border threats like terrorism, violent extremism, and organised crime cannot be solved through fragmented national responses.

He therefore expressed Nigeria’s commitment to cross-regional cooperation between ECOWAS member states and the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), diplomatic and peacebuilding engagements to address protracted conflicts in Sudan and the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as well as integrated governance models to address the root causes of instability and promote civilian protection on the continent.

Highlighting Africa’s long-standing reliance on external military equipment, spare parts, and technical support as a key vulnerability, Musa advocated for a bold transition towards local defence production, technology transfer, and joint maintenance ventures.

To effectively safeguard the continent, the minister stressed the importance of turning the African Standby Force (ASF) into a fully operational, responsive, and strategically mobile capability with sustainable financing.

Furthermore, he called for enhanced maritime domain awareness and coordinated naval exercises to protect strategic sea lines of communication in the Gulf of Guinea and the Red Sea.

The minister proposed the creation of a structured follow-up mechanism among participating defence institutions to oversee joint training, intelligence fusion, and industrial joint ventures to ensure that the discussions lead to measurable outcomes.

He said, “Africa’s security future must ultimately be determined by the collective resolve, capabilities, and strategic choices of African nations.

“Nigeria stands ready to work shoulder-to-shoulder with all partners towards a secure, united, and self-reliant continent.”

The meeting congratulated Nigeria for putting together the first Defence Exhibition and committed to ensuring its sustainability for the attainment of security sovereignty.