By George Omagbemi Sylvester
Lieutenant General Lawrence Khulekani Mbatha, the Chief of the South African Army, has said that his visit to Nigeria offered an opportunity to learn valuable lessons from the Nigerian military’s extensive operational experience, especially in confronting modern security threats.
On Friday, March 13, 2026, Mbatha—who has led the South African Army since April 2020—made the remarks during a working visit to Abuja, where he and his Nigerian counterpart discussed deeper military cooperation and training exchange programmes.
Mbatha noted that the South African Army could benefit from Nigeria’s strategic approaches to combatting terrorism, insurgency and asymmetric warfare, including counter‑IED tactics, battlefield training approaches and institutional training frameworks developed by the Nigerian Army over years of operational deployment.
He also expressed particular interest in Nigeria’s cyber defence and operational structures, emphasising that modern militaries must build robust digital security capabilities to address evolving threats across the continent.
The engagement reflects strengthening defence ties between Nigeria and South Africa, with both nations committed to expanding joint training, professional military education and strategic exchanges. Mbatha’s visit underscores Nigeria’s growing influence as a hub for military learning in Africa and highlights the importance of shared operational experience in enhancing regional stability and security.
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