The Nigerian Army Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, on Thursday, October 22, 2026, paid a courtesy visit to the President of Rwanda, His Excellency Paul Kagame, in Kigali, as part of efforts to strengthen bilateral defence relations and advance African-led responses to evolving security threats.
The COAS conveyed the goodwill of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Nigerian Army, while appreciating President Kagame for granting the audience and the warm hospitality extended to the delegation.
Colonel Appolonia Anele, Acting Director Army Public Relations, in a statement, said Lieutenant General Shaibu commended Rwanda’s transformation since the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, highlighting important lessons in national reconstruction, institutional resilience and social cohesion.
He expressed sympathy for the victims and paid tribute to the courage and sacrifices of approximately 600 personnel of the 3rd Battalion during the liberation struggle, noting that leadership, discipline and national resolve remain critical to overcoming complex security challenges across Africa.
The visit formed part of wider engagements to strengthen military relations between Nigeria and Rwanda in the quest to combat terrorism, violent extremism and transnational security threats facing the region.
The COAS also held separate engagements with Rwanda’s Minister of Defence, Chief of Defence Staff and Army Chief of Staff, Major General Vincent Nyakarundi focusing on professional military exchanges and opportunities to advance mutually beneficial defence cooperation.
Lieutenant General Shaibu commended Rwanda’s indigenous engineering and manufacturing capabilities, highlighting their strategic relevance to defence modernisation and national self-reliance.
He expressed interest in technical exchanges, collaborative research, knowledge transfer and defence manufacturing partnerships to strengthen Nigeria’s indigenous production, equipment maintenance and technical support capabilities.
The engagements reflect the Nigerian Army’s drive to build practical partnerships that strengthen military capacity, interoperability and collective responses to regional insecurity.
Lieutenant General Shaibu reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to working with the Rwanda Defence Force through specialised training, professional exchanges, joint exercises and defence technology cooperation.
He noted that sustained cooperation, mutual trust and shared responsibility among African nations remain vital to countering cross-border threats, safeguarding national interests and consolidating regional peace and stability.
Nigerian Army chief visits Kagame to strengthen Nigeria-Rwanda defence ties