President Bola Tinubu has revealed that Nigeria will receive military equipment and training support from France following discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron, as his administration intensifies efforts to tackle the country’s worsening insecurity.
The disclosure was made on Sunday while Tinubu addressed state governors at his Ikoyi residence in Lagos during the Eid-el-Fitr holidays, shortly after returning from a two-day state visit to the United Kingdom.
According to meeting details, the discussion with Macron focused on collaboration for military hardware and operational support. Tinubu said his government is exploring multiple international partnerships to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.
“I can report that, during a detailed discussion with Emmanuel Macron, they confirmed their collaboration with us for equipment and support,” he said. “I’m making efforts to contact other nations. We have partners willing to support us with equipment and training if necessary.”
The President described insecurity as the next major challenge facing Nigeria, warning it threatens national development and prosperity. “The next phase of our struggle is the challenge of insecurity in this country,” he said, emphasizing that collective action will be required to achieve “victory over tyranny.”
Discussions on military equipment acquisition also featured prominently during his recent visit to the United Kingdom. The announcement comes amid renewed violence in Nigeria’s northern region, including recent bomb attacks in Maiduguri that left at least 23 people dead and over 100 injured. In response, Tinubu directed security chiefs to relocate to the area and approved additional operational support for counter-terrorism efforts. Vice President Kashim Shettima visited victims receiving treatment at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.
The new move to secure French support coincides with Nigeria’s deepening security cooperation with the United States. Reports indicate the U.S. has deployed MQ-9 Reaper drones and about 200 military personnel to provide intelligence and training support to Nigerian forces combating insurgents in the northern region. Officials noted that the deployment is limited to surveillance and advisory roles, with no U.S. troops involved in frontline combat or drone strike missions.
Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, confirmed that actionable intelligence from the U.S. partnership is already supporting field commanders. “Our U.S. partners remain in a strictly non-combat role, enabling operations led by Nigerian authorities,” he said.
These renewed foreign partnerships highlight Nigeria’s increasing reliance on international support as security agencies confront persistent threats from extremist groups, including Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province, which continue to carry out deadly attacks across the region.
