Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has reaffirmed the country’s commitment to military cooperation with the Sahel nations of Mali, Burkina Faso, and the Niger Republic, despite recent political shifts and the trio’s withdrawal from regional blocs.
Speaking at a lecture hosted by the TETFUND Centre of Excellence in Security Management at the University of Ibadan, General Musa stressed the urgency of joint regional action in the face of mounting security threats. He noted that fragile state institutions, porous borders, and transnational challenges have made strategic cross-border military collaboration more critical than ever.
According to The Guardian Nigeria, Musa warned that instability in neighbouring countries poses a direct threat to Nigeria’s national security. “If we don’t help them to stand strong, the effect will come on us,” he cautioned.
To address worsening border insecurity, Musa reiterated the need for Nigeria to invest in securing key border zones, citing successful fencing initiatives in countries like Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan as models for effective territorial control.
Security Over Politics
Despite the political fallout from Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso’s joint withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in early 2025, Musa emphasized that military cooperation continues without disruption.
“Politically, the three countries may have exited, but militarily, we still work together,” he asserted, underscoring Nigeria’s pragmatic approach to sustaining security engagement in the Sahel.
The evolving geopolitical landscape, he noted, is shaped by multiple overlapping crises including terrorism, climate-induced migration, arms trafficking, and economic instability, all of which demand coordinated responses beyond political alliances.
Nigeria’s Role as Regional Stabilizer
As traditional regional alliances shift, Nigeria is positioning itself as a stabilizing force and security partner within West Africa. Rather than isolate the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) comprising Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger; Abuja has opted for continued engagement, embracing its long-held role as the region’s “big brother.”
Although the AES bloc has increasingly distanced itself from Western influence and forged a separate identity after exiting ECOWAS, Nigeria has maintained a channel of military and diplomatic cooperation, focusing on shared threats over ideological divergence.
Earlier, Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, Yusuf Tuggar, affirmed the country’s stance, emphasizing that regional cooperation with the Sahel remains essential for economic stability and peace in West Africa, regardless of the bloc’s formal status.
What’s Next?
While the long-term implications of this realignment remain uncertain, analysts agree that Nigeria’s geographic proximity, economic influence, and deep historical ties to the Sahel make full disengagement impractical. In a region grappling with violent extremism, humanitarian crises, and governance breakdowns, Nigeria appears determined to retain its leadership role—functioning both as a mediator and operational partner in an increasingly fragmented West African landscape.
