Defence Minister Commends Tinubu for Prioritizing Security-Development Nexus at NDC Lecture
By Ali Rabi'u Ali
The Honourable Minister of Defence, HE Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, CON, mni, delivered a lecture titled “Strategic Defence Management in Nigeria: Ministry of Defence in Perspective” to the Participants of the National Defence Academy Course 33, on Thursday, 10th July 2025. The lecture highlighted the Ministry’s central role in addressing Nigeria’s evolving security challenges through institutional reforms, strategic planning, and collaborative defence mechanisms.
During the lecture, the Minister emphasized that Nigeria’s current security environment is increasingly complex, marked by the presence of multiple actors including state forces, insurgents, civil society, the media, and foreign interests all operating within a volatile regional and global context. He described strategic defence management as a vital tool not only for preserving sovereignty and peace but also for ensuring socioeconomic progress.
HE Badaru noted that with a population of over 200 million and a large, dynamic economy, Nigeria is actively tackling a wide spectrum of threats like insurgency in the North-East, banditry and communal violence in the North-West and North-Central, secessionist movements and oil theft in the South, as well as maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea. He further stressed the influence of regional instability in the Sahel and Nigeria’s leadership role in ECOWAS and the African Union in shaping national defence policies.
The Minister commended the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for recognizing the strong linkage between national security and development. He cited ongoing reforms aimed at recalibrating the nation’s security architecture through capacity building, military modernisation, and investment in local defence production. According to him, the success of these reforms depends significantly on the effectiveness of the Ministry of Defence as the apex body for military oversight and strategic coordination.
Underscoring the MOD’s core responsibilities, HE Badaru explained that the Ministry is tasked with formulating and executing the National Defence Policy, ensuring readiness of the Armed Forces, and driving strategic initiatives that integrate defence planning, policy, and resource management. He reiterated that efficient defence management must be grounded in forward-looking frameworks and guided by both national interest and global realities.
In conclusion, the Minister highlighted the MOD’s ongoing efforts to enhance operational efficiency, strengthen transparency, and promote multi-sectoral partnerships. He advocated for a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to security, integrating military, economic, and diplomatic strategies to safeguard Nigeria’s territorial integrity and protect citizens from all forms of internal and external threats.
In his remarks,The Commandant of the National Defence College, Rear Admiral James Ohimai Okosun, thanked the Honourable Minister of Defence for delivering a timely and insightful lecture, describing it as vital to shaping future military leaders. He also praised the Ministry's ongoing reforms under the Minister’s leadership, noting they are setting new standards in defence governance and institutional efficiency.