The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Nigeria, His Excellency Yousef bin Mohammed Al-Balawi, has pledged to strengthen defence and security cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Nigeria.
Al-Balawi made the commitment on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, when he paid a courtesy visit to the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) in Abuja, where he met with the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede.
According to an official statement signed by the Director, Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, the visit was aimed at further strengthening the longstanding bilateral relationship between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, particularly in the defence and security sectors.
During the engagement, Oluyede welcomed the Saudi envoy and expressed appreciation for the visit, noting the importance Nigeria attaches to its relationship with the Kingdom.
The CDS stressed the need to sustain and expand existing channels of military cooperation, particularly in areas that would enhance the professional capacity and operational effectiveness of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
He also appreciated Saudi Arabia for its continued goodwill towards Nigeria, expressing optimism that the discussions would translate into tangible areas of cooperation.
On his part, Al-Balawi described Nigeria as an important partner in Africa and expressed Saudi Arabia’s desire to further deepen relations between both countries.
The Ambassador reiterated the Kingdom’s readiness to support closer engagement and cooperation with Nigeria, particularly in defence and security.
Both sides acknowledged that stronger institutional and professional links between the armed forces of the two countries would contribute to improved cooperation in addressing common security challenges.
The engagement underscored the commitment of Nigeria and Saudi Arabia to advancing their bilateral partnership and promoting shared interests in peace, security and stability.
