Declaring the three-day summit closed on Wednesday, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa, urged all 37 Chiefs of Defence Staff and participants to leave the conference with a renewed conviction that “Africa’s peace, security, and prosperity are not merely distant aspirations but attainable realities, provided we unite, work together, and translate collaborations into action.”
General Musa emphasized that while Africa’s borders may divide nations, their shared destiny binds them together. “A secure Africa is a beacon to the world,” he noted.
Over the course of the summit, held under the theme “Combating Contemporary Threats to Regional Peace and Security in Africa: The Role of Strategic Defence Collaborations,” defence chiefs engaged in robust deliberations on terrorism, piracy, cyber warfare, border security, intelligence sharing, and the role of emerging technologies in defence.
Key highlights of the discussions included: the need for effective border management to curb terrorism, trafficking, and banditry, Joint operations, counter-radicalisation efforts, and intelligence sharing as essential strategies for regional peace, and Harnessing artificial intelligence and emerging technologies to strengthen early warning systems and disrupt hostile networks.
He noted that financing African defence through indigenous industries, innovation, and public-private partnerships to reduce dependence on foreign support.l, and Strengthening maritime security across the Gulf of Guinea, Indian Ocean, and Mediterranean to protect Africa’s trade routes.
The summit also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the International Defence Exhibition 2026, scheduled to be hosted in Lagos, Nigeria.
General Musa expressed optimism that the adopted communiqué would translate into policies, strategies, and concrete actions across the continent. “Let this summit be a turning point for decisive and collective action,” he charged, urging defence chiefs to brief their political leaders to ensure stronger buy-in for implementation.
The CDS also extended gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, African heads of state, the Minister of Defence, organising committees, and all participants for making the summit a success.
He concluded by reaffirming the spirit of African solidarity and resilience that resonated throughout the gathering: “Surely, the warmth felt in here during this summit has reaffirmed the spirit of African unity. Many partnerships we have built here will continue to flourish in the years ahead.”
The African Chiefs of Defence Summit 2025 marks a milestone in regional security cooperation and sets the stage for greater strategic defence partnerships ahead of the next edition.