By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria has signed a military-technical cooperation agreement with the Russian government, a statement from the Nigerian Embassy in Russia has said.
The deals will see the supply and servicing of military equipment, training of personnel as well as technology transfer.
According to the disclosure, Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Mr Bashir Magashi, led a delegation of top military officials to Russia on an official assignment.
He signed the agreement on Monday on behalf of the Nigerian government while Dmitry Shugaev, Director of the Federal Service for PliIitary-Technical Cooperation, signed on behalf of Russia.
The Nigerian Ambassador to Russia, Mr Abdullahi Shehu, Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Auwal Gambo, and representatives from the army and Air Force formed the Nigerian delegation at the signing ceremony.
The new pact marks the termination of the 20-year long similar agreement entered into by both countries on March 6, 2001.
This would be the third time in the last four years that the countries are collaborating as the Russian government signed military cooperation and trade agreements with Nigeria in 2017 and 2019.
The 2017 deal allowed Nigerian servicemen to be trained in Russia’s military educational establishments while both countries exchange peacekeeping experience in fighting piracy and terrorism.
In the 2019 agreement, the cooperation extended from military collaboration to oil and gas as well as rail development and trade, among others.
The contract, which was then signed by President Muhammadu Buhari on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa Summit, also sought the advancement of a nuclear power plant in Nigeria.
Speaking after the recent signing this week, Mr Abdullahi Shehu expressed appreciation to the Russian authorities, reiterating that Nigeria was not looking for alternatives but for complementarity and mutual benefits.
On his part, while declaring open the 7th International military-technical Forum – Army 2021, President Vladimir Putin of Russia stated that contracts for the supply of Russian military equipment had been concluded.
“Massive mutually beneficial portfolios of contracts for the supply of Russian military goods are concluded on the forum’s sidelines every year.
“The forum has on display over 28,000 units of modern military arms and equipment ranging from small firearms to artillery, tanks, and military combat aircraft.
“Our army and navy are being modernised at a fast pace as they receive the latest-generation military assets. For example, the share of modern weapons in the strategic nuclear forces is over 80 per cent now.
“This is more than in other nuclear countries,” he said.
Mr Putin also projected the creation and improvement of combat capabilities of the advanced military equipment, such as the Kinzhal hypersonic air-launched missile system and the Okhotnik long-range unmanned aircraft were making progress.
“The agreement on military-technical Cooperation between both countries provides a legal framework for the supply of military equipment, provision of after-sales services, training of personnel in respective educational establishments, and technology transfer, among others.
“The signing of the Military-Technical Cooperation Agreement is a landmark development in the bilateral relations between Nigeria and the Russian Federation,” he said.
