By Gurara Accord
Nigeria has called for stronger international partnerships and a comprehensive “whole-of-society” approach to tackling the country’s evolving security challenges and those confronting the wider Sahel region.
The call was made by the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), OFR, during a high-level side event organised by the Ministry of Defence on the margins of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81) High-Level Week in New York.
The event, themed “Confronting Nigeria’s Multidimensional Security Challenges: A Whole-of-Society and Partnership-Based Approach,” brought together diplomats, security experts and representatives of the United Nations, African Union and ECOWAS.
Musa said Nigeria’s security challenges have national, regional and global implications, stressing that sustainable security requires resilient communities, effective institutions, inclusive development and good governance.
“Our recognition that we cannot address these challenges alone is not a statement of dependence; rather, it is an acknowledgement of the multidimensional character of modern security threats and the importance of collective action,” he said.
The minister outlined measures being implemented under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, including the recruitment of an additional 22,000 personnel into the Armed Forces and the expansion and reorganisation of the Nigerian Army’s divisional structure.
He also cited ongoing efforts towards establishing state police and dedicated forest guard arrangements to strengthen security in rural and border communities.
According to him, the government is also implementing presidential approval for a unified intelligence and reconnaissance programme designed to eliminate operational silos, improve situational awareness and strengthen interoperability among Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
Musa further highlighted efforts to strengthen domestic defence production through the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), with the objective of improving self-reliance and reducing dependence on external sources of military equipment.
He said advanced technologies, including drones for real-time surveillance and Improvised Explosive Device detection, were also being integrated into Nigeria’s security architecture.
The minister added that the government was making progress towards establishing a comprehensive national criminal database as part of efforts to improve security coordination and intelligence gathering.
The panel discussion was moderated by former Chief of Staff to the President and former Minister of External Affairs, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, who reflected on Nigeria’s concentric-circles foreign policy and called for greater African participation in shaping global frameworks, particularly in the area of artificial intelligence.
On homeland security and early warning systems, the Special Adviser on Homeland Security, Major General Adeyinka T. Famadewa (Rtd), advocated intelligence fusion, integrated response mechanisms and systems to protect citizens who report emerging threats.
Former Force Commander of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), Major General A.K. Ibrahim (Rtd), called for community-based approaches to border security,
implementation of the Office of the National Security Adviser’s Border Management Strategy and the revitalisation of the MNJTF.
He also urged stronger action against terrorist taxation and financial networks.
Economic security was another major focus of the discussion, with former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr. Kingsley Obiora, stressing that economic stability remains a critical pillar of national security.
Obiora proposed the establishment of designated economic zones, drawing from Colombia’s experience, to stimulate business recovery and economic activity in conflict-affected communities.
Prof. Mvemba Phezo Dizolele of Johns Hopkins University advocated context-specific African solutions to security challenges, cautioning against the wholesale adoption of external security templates.
Similarly, cybersecurity expert Omosigho Ozo-Eson warned against excessive dependence on foreign artificial intelligence systems and stressed the need to protect Nigeria’s Critical National Infrastructure while developing indigenous cyber-defence capabilities.
In his closing remarks, Musa reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to combating terrorism and banditry while acknowledging the role of international partners, including the United States, in Nigeria’s defence cooperation efforts.
He said regional mechanisms such as the MNJTF benefit from support from international partners, including the European Union, but stressed that African countries must increasingly finance and sustain their own regional security structures to ensure greater ownership.
The minister also highlighted government efforts to strengthen legal frameworks, protect health workers operating in high-risk areas and create a stable business environment capable of attracting investment.
“Our objective should be straightforward,” Musa said. “We should not merely reaffirm our understanding of the challenges; we should seek to identify concrete areas of cooperation, clear responsibilities, and practical next steps.”
Earlier, the Director Overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Bosede Olaniyi, welcomed participants and called for robust engagement capable of producing tangible outcomes for national development.
