By Harriet Tornguvan -Abuja
The Niigeria Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has held high-level bilateral talks with Air Chief Marshal Xu Xueqiang, Minister of the Department of Equipment and Development of the People’s Republic of China, on the sidelines of the 12th Beijing Xiangshan Forum.
According to a statement by the Minister’s Media and Publicity aide, Mati Ali, the discussions centred on advancing cooperation in defence technology transfer, strengthening Nigeria’s indigenous military production, and exploring broader defence-industrial collaboration.
Both delegations examined practical avenues to:
foster partnerships between Nigerian and Chinese defence manufacturers;
build technical and institutional capacity in Nigeria’s defence sector;
enhance interoperability through cooperative training, exchange programmes, and joint projects; and
identify sustainable technology transfer opportunities in line with Nigerian law and international obligations.
The meeting reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to transparent and mutually beneficial defence arrangements that will boost national security while supporting economic and technological growth.
Additionally, relevant agencies from both countries are expected to follow up with technical studies and proposals towards developing concrete programmes and formal agreements.
The Xiangshan Forum, now in its 12th edition, convenes defence ministers, military leaders, and security experts from across the globe to deliberate on pressing international and regional security issues.
Nigeria’s participation highlights its continued engagement in international defence diplomacy and commitment to strengthening capacity for national security.
