ECOWAS Commends Nigerian Military’s Contribution To Regional Peace

The Vice President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, His Excellency Anthony Oluwatosin Ogunjimi, has commended the leadership of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) for the Nigerian Military’s contributions towards stabilisation efforts and peace support initiatives in Liberia, Sierra Leone, The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau.

He gave the commendation on Thursday, 12 November 2026, during a familiarisation visit to the Defence Headquarters in Abuja, where he was received by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede.

A statement by the Director, Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, said that Ogunjimi acknowledged Nigeria’s significant contributions to peace, security and regional stability in the West African sub-region.

He said, “Mr Ogunjimi acknowledged Nigeria’s longstanding commitment to regional peace and security, particularly the contributions of the Armed Forces of Nigeria towards stabilisation efforts and peace support initiatives in Liberia, Sierra Leone, The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau.”

According to Ogunjimi, Nigeria’s commitment to collective security remains a significant pillar of ECOWAS’ efforts to advance regional integration and stability.

He further commended the Defence Headquarters for its continued commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s territorial integrity and supporting regional security objectives.

He expressed the ECOWAS Commission’s desire to deepen its institutional relationship with the Defence Headquarters, particularly in areas of security cooperation, strategic engagement and collaborative initiatives to address emerging security challenges across the sub-region.

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, in his response, highlighted the importance of sustained partnerships and collective responsibility in addressing the complex security challenges confronting West Africa.

He emphasised that regional security could only be effectively strengthened through cooperation, mutual trust and a shared commitment among member states.

The CDS encouraged sister nations within the ECOWAS community to strengthen their collaboration, deepen military-to-military relations and work collectively to advance the objectives of the regional organisation.

He noted that the security challenges confronting the sub-region transcend national boundaries and therefore require coordinated responses, intelligence sharing and enhanced operational cooperation.

General Oluyede further reiterated the Armed Forces of Nigeria’s commitment to supporting regional peace, stability and security in line with Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives and its longstanding commitment to collective security within the West African sub-region.