Nigeria–Pakistan Relations: Defense Diplomacy, Military Training, and Eradicating Terrorrism

Abstract

The paper explores the relations between Nigeria and Pakistan especially in the fields of defense diplomacy, military training, and counterterrorism. The study uses qualitative research design premised on the use of secondary sources of data such as scholarly literature, policy documents, official releases, and the press. The nature, range, and implication of the Nigeria-Pakistan defense and counterterrorism activities were assessed through content analysis. The paper is grounded on the theory of realism, focusing on state survival, power, and security on an anarchic international system. Realism is the reason why Nigeria wants to have the military experience and defense technology of Pakistan to fight insurgency, and Pakistan wants to benefit from the arms industry in Africa through the partnership. The analysis demonstrates that the strength of the Nigeria-Pakistan defense diplomacy was in the field of military training, armaments acquisition, and counterterrorism collaboration. Nigeria has had major number of officers trained in Pakistani institutions, which has boosted the capacity of the country to counter insurgency by the Boko Haram and ISWAP rebels. Nevertheless, trade in non-military areas has not been robust yet, and some of the difficulties that the partnership is facing include excessive dependence on foreign armament supplies and inadequate technology transfer. The South-South cooperation in the common security issues is portrayed in Nigeria-Pakistan relations. Although defense diplomacy is still the key to the partnership, this has had little influence on the overall economic and diplomatic relationships. The paper suggests that to increase checks and balances in the defense acquisition process, improving the transfer of technology by joint venture, and increasing the partnership from the military to other areas, including education, trade and science, would be imparative. The deliberations should be structured as strategic dialogues in both countries to provide mutually fruitful security cooperation.