The Chief of the South African Army, Lt.-Gen. Lawrence Mbatha, has commended the Nigerian Army for its professionalism and growing strength in cyber warfare, describing the capability as vital in today’s security landscape.
Mbatha gave the praise during a visit to the Nigerian Army Cyber Warfare Command in Abuja, noting that Nigeria and South Africa share a deep military relationship rooted in decades of cooperation and training exchanges.
“Some of the officers and generals in South Africa today trained in Nigeria. Our relationship didn’t start today—it goes back many years,” he said.
He highlighted cyber operations as a critical part of modern military strategy and said the South African Army was keen to learn from Nigeria’s experience since the command was established in 2020.
Mbatha also paid tribute to Nigerian soldiers who died in the line of duty, describing them as heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for their nation.
Earlier, the Commander of the Nigerian Army Cyber Warfare Command, Maj.-Gen. Kennedy Osemwegie, described the visit as historic and expressed optimism that it would deepen military cooperation, exchange programmes, and strategic engagements between the two countries.
During the visit, the South African Army Chief also toured the Nigerian Army Museum, where he praised the army’s creativity and rich military history.
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