The Nigerian Army has announced plans to expand its aviation wing and is exploring opportunities to train its pilots in South Africa as part of efforts to strengthen operational capabilities.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja during a meeting with the Chief of the South African Army, Lawrence Mbatha, who was on an official working visit to Nigeria.
Shaibu said the Nigerian Army was aware of the robust aviation capabilities of the South African Army and intended to leverage available opportunities to train its personnel.
“The issue of Nigerian Army aviation is very important to us. Of course, we are fully aware that the South African Army has a very good aviation establishment,” he said.
He added that the army’s aviation programme is currently under development and expected to grow significantly in the coming years. “Currently, we are building our Army aviation and would like to leverage opportunities available to train our pilots in South Africa. Nigerian Army aviation will start to grow exponentially in the next few years,” Shaibu said.
The army chief further explained that the collaboration would be part of broader military cooperation between the two countries, particularly in training and capacity building. He also highlighted plans to expand training opportunities for Nigerian military medical personnel through South African military health institutions, focusing on specialised areas such as forensic pathology and trauma care.
“The Nigerian Army is seeking avenues to train additional doctors in critical areas to improve the quality of medical support for our troops,” he said.
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Mbatha described his visit as a continuation of a long-standing relationship between the two countries’ armed forces. He noted that Nigeria had played a key role in training South African personnel during the country’s transition period and stressed the need to further strengthen bilateral military ties.
“My visit is not to start a new relationship but to build on the existing one. South Africa enjoys a very strategic relationship not only with the Nigerian Armed Forces but also with the people of Nigeria,” he said.
Mbatha added that the visit also provided an opportunity for mutual learning, particularly on counter-terrorism and insurgency operations, as both countries face similar security challenges on the continent.
Shaibu had previously disclosed in February that the Nigerian Army had commenced the expansion of its aviation wing to enhance its ability to respond to evolving security threats across Nigeria.