UNDERSTANDING DEFENCE POLICY: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF NIGERIA AND CAMEROON

Abstract

A good attempt has been made in the study which covers a comparative study of Nigeria and Cameroon’s defence policies. In carrying out this task, three fundamental objectives were set out, that examined comparatively the force posture, decision making and weapon acquisition of Nigeria and Cameroon. In course of the study, secondary materials were used, sourced from textbooks, journals, and the internet, among others. The paper concluded that the two countries lack the capability to advance the required formidable force posture, that their inability to maintain unwavering decision-making is observable, and finally the acquisition and maintenance of sophisticated weapons required for enforcing effective defence policy is weak in both countries. Also, the two countries do not possess sufficient military posture, credibility, capabilities, human resources, and military infrastructure to execute the task of defending the nation, among others. The findings revealed that Nigeria and Cameroon’s defence policy share similar weaknesses in term of force posture, decision-making, maintenance of modern weapons for military credibility and capability, among others. The paper therefore recommended that a collaborative functional effort should be made with technological advanced countries, industrial sector, research institutions, among others to reposition their force posture, develop full strength decision-making and maintain effective weapons to wield power both at the domestic and international levels, also both countries should concentrate in areas of national development such as agriculture and socio-economic empowerment that would be transformed into military strength of both countries.