Nigerian Ambassador to Russia, Prof. Abdullahi Shehu (left); Minister of Defence, Major-General Bashir Magashi (rtd); Defence Adviser, Nigerian Embassy Moscow, Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya and Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo at the International Military-Technical Forum “Army-2021” in Russia…yesterday.

Nigeria has signed a military-technical cooperation agreement with the Russian Federation.

Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi (rtd), who is on an official visit to Russia, signed on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, while the Director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, Dmitry Shugaev, signed for the Russian Federation.

The ceremony, which took place on August 23, 2021, was witnessed by the Nigerian Ambassador to the Russian Federation, Prof. Abdullahi Y. Shehu; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Auwal Zubairu Gambo; Defence Attaché in the Embassy of Nigeria in Moscow, Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya; representatives of the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Air Force; senior military officers; and officials of the Nigerian Ministry of Defence.

This agreement terminates the earlier agreement between the two countries signed on March 6, 2001.

In a brief statement after the ceremony, Ambassador Shehu expressed appreciation to the Russian authorities, reiterating that Nigeria is not looking for alternatives but complementary and mutual benefits.

Also, declaring open the 7th International Military-Technical Forum on August 23, 2021, Russian President, Vladimir Putin, said: “Massive mutually beneficial portfolios of contracts for the supply of Russian military goods are concluded on the forum’s sidelines every year.”

He said: “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.”

The signing of the agreement is a landmark development in bilateral relations between Nigeria and Russia.