The Permanent Secretary, Nigeria’s Ministry of Defence, Mr. Richard Pheelangwah has reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening the operational capacity of the Nigerian Navy through enhanced support, improved readiness, and stronger Civil-Military collaboration.

Mr Pheelangwah made this known during a familiarization visit to the Naval Headquarters on 17th March, 2026, where he commended the leadership and personnel of the Nigerian Navy for their professionalism, dedication, and critical role in safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime domain.

He noted that the visit was aimed at deepening strategic alignment between the Ministry and the Nigerian Navy, as well as gaining firsthand insight into the Service’s operational priorities, challenges, and ongoing initiatives.

Mr Pheelangwah emphasized the need to strengthen civil-military synergy, stressing that effective collaboration between the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces remains vital to achieving sustainable national security objectives. He further assured of the Ministry’s readiness to support the Nigerian Navy in critical areas, including force readiness, budgetary compliance, and improved welfare for officers and personnel.

According to him, prioritizing human capital development and welfare remains central to enhancing operational efficiency and morale. He added that it is important Nigeria’s defence industrial base is strengthened, as a way of encouraging greater focus on local content and partnerships that will boost indigenous capacity and contribute to national economic development.

While reiterating the Ministry’s commitment to addressing operational and administrative challenges facing the Nigerian Navy, he called for a unified approach to national defence through enhanced cooperation among the Services. Pheelangwah expressed optimism that with sustained support and collaboration, the Nigerian Navy will continue to play a pivotal role in securing Nigeria’s maritime environment and protecting critical national asset.

In his response, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas commended the leadership of the Ministry of Defence for the current cordial working relationship with the entire Services. He highlighted areas of need to boost naval personnel’s performance such as; equipment procurements , improved procurement process, infrastructural deficits such as adequate accommodation for naval personnel, especially, as the strength of service expands by the day; increase in staff strength via the employment of Medical staff and funds for completion of all projects started by his predecessor’s. Vice Admiral Idi Abbas pleaded for the Ministry’s supports to be able to achieve those targets.

Present at the event are the Directors from the Ministry and the Principal Staff Officers of the Naval headquarters.

Nigeria’s Honourable Minister of Defence H.E. Mohammed Badaru Abubakar CON, mni, participated in the North-West Zonal Security Summit held at Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Hall, Kaduna. The event was organized by the Senate Ad-Hoc Committee on National Security to foster dialogue on security challenges and collaborative solutions within the region.

In his keynote goodwill message, Minister Badaru reaffirmed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR’s unwavering commitment to the Renewed Hope Agenda with national security, unity, and community resilience as core pillars. He highlighted the President’s vision of a harmonious society built on shared prosperity, mutual tolerance, and equal respect for every Nigerian.

Minister Badaru emphasized the critical need for a robust and adaptive national security framework, noting the significant progress made through enhanced synergy among security agencies and stakeholders.

He stressed that national security is a collective responsibility that demands active involvement from citizens, communities, and state governments alike.

Acknowledging the indispensable role of state governors as Chief Security Officers, the Minister praised their provision of logistics support, implementation of early-warning systems, and community engagement initiatives. He further commended traditional rulers for fostering trust and facilitating mediation processes, women and youth groups for their pivotal roles in community vigilance and recovery efforts, as well as religious leaders and civil society organizations for combating misinformation and advancing peace and reintegration efforts.

Reinforcing the President’s directives, the Minister called for sustained momentum among the Armed Forces and all security agencies to deepen interagency collaboration, enhance intelligence sharing, and bolster protection for schools and rural communities. He also lauded the Senate for convening the summit, underscoring its importance in promoting transparency, national dialogue, and accountability in the security sector.

The Minister concluded by assuring all stakeholders that the Ministry of Defence remains fully committed to collaborating with summit partners to strengthen stability, build community confidence, and advance the Renewed Hope Agenda across the North-West zone.

The summit was well-attended by key figures including Kaduna State Governor Senator Uba Sani, Deputy Governor of Sokoto State, representatives of other state governors, traditional rulers, Ulama, civil society organizations, and other prominent stakeholders.