Military Education: Strengthening Exchanges Between Benin and Nigeria
From 31 May to 7 June 2026, a delegation from Benin’s École nationale supérieure des armées (ENSA) undertook a study visit to Abuja and Kaduna, Nigeria. Conducted within the school’s partnership with the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung’s Regional Programme “Security Policy Dialogue in West Africa” (SIPODI), the visit aimed to promote the exchange of experience and cooperation between military education institutions.
Supported and funded by SIPODI, the delegation included ENSA’s leadership, training staff, course participants and representatives of the Regional Programme. The visit provided insights into Nigerian approaches to military education and their adaptation to regional security challenges.
Exploring Nigerian Training Approaches
The delegation visited more than eight military schools, academies and training centres in Abuja and Kaduna. Presentations and discussions with institutional leaders covered the organisation of the establishments, their teaching facilities and their approaches to training officers and non-commissioned officers.
Topics included military leadership, command, operational planning and cooperation between the armed services. Participants also discussed how curricula are being adapted to address terrorism, transnational organised crime and hybrid threats.
Connecting Education with Operational Experience
Beyond introducing the institutions, the visit provided a forum for dialogue on the design and development of military education. Participants explored how lessons from operations can inform teaching, how training institutions are managed and what opportunities exist for cooperation between Benin and Nigeria.
For ENSA’s course participants, the exchanges offered an opportunity to compare their existing knowledge with other practices and broaden their understanding of responses to shared security challenges.
Building Links Between Partner Institutions
The study visit helped deepen contacts between Beninese and Nigerian institutions and explore opportunities for cooperation in military education. It forms part of SIPODI’s commitment to the professionalisation of defence and security forces and democratic security sector governance.
By supporting exchanges between partner institutions, the Regional Programme encourages mutual learning, trust and the development of coordinated responses to security challenges in West Africa.
