The Nigerian Army has announced plans to send additional medical doctors and pilots to South Africa for specialised training as part of efforts to strengthen medical support for troops and enhance the quality of healthcare services available to personnel across its formations.
The initiative is expected to improve the Army’s capacity to effectively manage both combat-related injuries and routine medical needs, particularly for troops deployed in various operational theatres.
The Chief of Army Staff, Waidi Shaibu, disclosed this during a bilateral meeting with the visiting Chief of the South African Army, Lawrence Mbatha.
According to Shaibu, the proposed training programme will focus on critical medical specialisations such as forensic pathology and trauma-related critical care, which are vital for managing injuries sustained during military operations.
“These are opportunities that we will bring to the table and also opportunities that we would like to explore in South Africa,” he said.
He explained that the Nigerian Army is exploring avenues to train more doctors in areas such as forensic pathology and trauma care, particularly in handling injuries resulting from combat situations.
Shaibu noted that the initiative forms part of a broader military cooperation framework between Nigeria and South Africa, which focuses on training, knowledge exchange, and capacity building.
He added that details of the collaboration would be further developed through continued engagements between both armies.
The Army Chief also revealed that the Nigerian Army is expanding its aviation programme and is seeking opportunities to train its pilots in South Africa to boost its operational capabilities.
According to him, the Army intends to leverage the South African Army’s well-established aviation structure as it continues to develop its own aviation wing.
“The issue of Nigerian Army aviation is very important to us. Currently we are building our army aviation and would like to leverage opportunities available to train our pilots in South Africa,” he said.
Shaibu emphasised that such international collaborations are essential as Nigeria continues to confront terrorism and insurgency, particularly in the North-East, where operations are often conducted through joint task forces that rely on strong partnerships and interoperability.
He also disclosed that both countries already maintain military exchange programmes, with Nigerian officers undergoing training in South African institutions, while South African officers attend courses in Nigeria.
According to him, a Nigerian Army officer is currently studying at the South African Defence College, while a South African female officer is participating in a course at the Nigerian Army War College.
The Army Chief further identified additional areas for deeper cooperation between the two forces, including cyber warfare, aviation training and military medical services.
He added that Nigeria could also offer specialised training for South African personnel in counter-terrorism and counter-improvised explosive device operations at the Nigerian Army School of Infantry and the Nigerian Army School of Mechanical Engineering.
In his remarks, Mbatha said his visit to Nigeria provided an opportunity for the South African Army to study Nigeria’s operational experience in combating terrorism and other asymmetric threats.
He acknowledged the Nigerian Army’s extensive battlefield experience and expressed interest in learning from its training methods and operational strategies, particularly in addressing the growing use of improvised explosive devices in insurgent warfare.
Both military leaders also explored prospects for expanding technical cooperation between their armies in specialised areas, including aviation and advanced military training.
