Nigeria and Cameroon have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening security cooperation along their shared southern border and enhancing joint efforts to address emerging security threats across land and maritime domains.
The agreement was signed on Wednesday 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.
The signing ceremony marked the culmination of two days of high-level deliberations involving defence and security experts from both countries and is expected to provide a renewed framework for military cooperation and coordinated operations.
Under the agreement, both nations will deepen collaboration in intelligence sharing, operational coordination, logistics support, joint military training, personnel exchange programmes, and collective responses to evolving security challenges.
Speaking at the event, General Musa said the MoU would institutionalise military cooperation between Nigeria and Cameroon while providing a structured platform for addressing common security concerns affecting both countries.
The discussions also focused on the operationalisation of the recently established Combined Maritime Joint Task Force, which is expected to enhance security in the Gulf of Guinea and protect the economic and strategic interests of member states.
On defence industrial cooperation, the Nigerian Defence Minister reiterated the country’s commitment to advancing regional defence technology and innovation. He stressed the need for stronger African partnerships to boost indigenous production of military hardware and reduce dependence on external suppliers.
Musa further highlighted opportunities available through Nigeria’s Defence Industries Corporation framework, expressing readiness to collaborate with Cameroon in defence manufacturing, technology transfer, research, innovation, and capacity development.
In his remarks, Joseph Beti Assomo welcomed deeper cooperation in defence innovation and technology, revealing that a formal framework is being finalised to translate the commitments into concrete bilateral projects.
The agreement is being seen as a significant milestone in Nigeria-Cameroon relations and a major step towards strengthening regional security, maritime stability, and defence cooperation in Central and West Africa.
