NARC Holds Monday Edition Of Weekly Subject Experts Presentation, Discusses Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan’s Joint Defence Mechanism

NARC Holds Monday Edition Of Weekly Subject Experts Presentation, Discusses Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan’s Joint Defence Mechanism

The Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC) today, Monday 17 August 2026, held the first edition of its Weekly Subject Experts Presentation, which discussed the emerging joint defence mechanism among Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and its strategic implications and lessons for Nigeria.

The presentation, which focused on developments in the Middle East and North Africa, was delivered by the NARC Subject Expert on the Middle East and North Africa, Brigadier General OO Olatunde mni. In his presentation, he examined the evolving strategic partnership among Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, particularly their efforts to establish stronger political and military mechanisms for enhanced defence cooperation.

Brigadier General Olatunde noted that the emerging partnership provides an important example of how countries can leverage strategic cooperation to strengthen their collective security, defence capabilities and strategic influence. He observed that closer defence cooperation among the three countries could enhance military interoperability, joint exercises, intelligence cooperation, defence-industrial collaboration and technology development.

Drawing lessons for Nigeria, Brigadier General Olatunde stated that Turkey’s rapid emergence as a significant defence exporter demonstrates that developing countries can achieve greater strategic autonomy through deliberate investment in indigenous defence capabilities, research, technology and industrial partnerships.

He therefore stressed the need for Nigeria to accelerate the development of its Military-Industrial Complex, with the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) playing a central role. He advocated strategic partnerships with countries possessing advanced defence technologies, emphasising that such partnerships should prioritise genuine technology transfer, local production, research and development, human-capital development and indigenous capacity building, rather than mere importation of military equipment.

The Subject Expert further observed that Nigeria’s security environment requires greater emphasis on regional and multinational defence cooperation, particularly given the transnational nature of contemporary security threats. He noted that effective cooperation would be particularly relevant to Counter-Terrorism and Counter-Insurgency operations, where intelligence sharing, interoperability, joint training and coordinated military responses are increasingly important.

Brigadier General Olatunde consequently recommended a review of the Joint Defence Doctrine and relevant doctrines of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to reflect the realities of modern warfare and the inevitability of greater regional and international defence cooperation.

He emphasised that the review should incorporate contemporary requirements relating to jointness, interoperability, intelligence sharing, technology-enabled warfare, multinational operations and defence-industrial cooperation, while ensuring that Nigeria’s strategic interests and national security priorities remain central.

The presentation was followed by an interactive session during which participants examined the implications of the emerging Turkey-Saudi Arabia-Pakistan defence partnership for Nigeria, particularly in the areas of strategic autonomy, defence-industrial development, technology transfer, joint operations and regional security cooperation.