ECOWAS Standby Force Chief of Staff Brigadier General Sheikh Massaquoi met Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu at Nigerian Army Headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, September 30, 2026.
The courtesy call was part of ongoing engagements aimed at strengthening cooperation between the military component of the ECOWAS Commission and the Nigerian Army, the report said, with a focus on regional security, defence cooperation, operational readiness, interoperability, training and logistics support.
Massaquoi was accompanied by Navy Captain Idenyi Jude Akpa, Commander of the ECOWAS Logistics Depot in Lungi, along with staff officers of the ECOWAS Standby Force and the Peace Support Operations Division of the ECOWAS Commission.
During the meeting, Massaquoi conveyed greetings from the President of the ECOWAS Commission and the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security.
He expressed appreciation for the reception and acknowledged Nigeria’s longstanding contributions to peacekeeping, regional security and defence cooperation within West Africa.
Massaquoi stressed the need to strengthen the ECOWAS Standby Force into what he described as a more proactive, interoperable and responsive regional security capability capable of addressing evolving threats.
He highlighted the importance of updated military doctrines, enhanced joint training and exercises, intelligence sharing and stronger defence partnerships among ECOWAS member states.
He also solicited the continued support of the Nigerian Army towards enhancing the operational effectiveness and readiness of the ECOWAS Standby Force and strengthening its capacity to discharge its mandate in support of collective security, peace and stability across the subregion.
Akpa, the logistics depot commander, highlighted the critical role of effective logistics support in sustaining the operational readiness of the ECOWAS Standby Force.
He underscored the importance of strengthening the capacity of the ECOWAS Logistics Depot to support force deployment, sustainment and other operational requirements, while emphasising the need for continued cooperation and support in enhancing regional logistics capabilities.
In his remarks, Lieutenant General Shaibu called for deeper regional security cooperation and stronger defence partnerships among ECOWAS member states to confront contemporary and emerging security threats.
He noted that terrorism, violent extremism, transnational organised crime and other cross-border threats require collective action, intelligence sharing, regular dialogue, joint training and greater interoperability among regional armed forces.
The Chief of Army Staff reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to Nigeria’s regional security obligations and assured the delegation of continued support for initiatives aimed at strengthening the ECOWAS security architecture.
He emphasised that sustained military-to-military cooperation, harmonised doctrines and enhanced operational readiness remain essential to building a responsive regional security framework capable of promoting peace, stability and sustainable development across West Africa.
The visit provided an opportunity for both sides to exchange views on contemporary regional security challenges and reaffirm their commitment to enhanced military cooperation, interoperability, joint training, intelligence sharing, logistics support and the development of a more responsive regional security architecture for West Africa.
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