Nigeria calls for total overhaul of AU security framework to tackle terrorism

The Federal Government of Nigeria has called for a total overhaul of the African Union Peace and Security Architecture (AUPSA) to effectively tackle escalating terrorism and instability across the continent.

Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, made the position known in Abuja at a consultative forum aimed at strengthening the effectiveness of the AU’s security system.

The high-level forum, being held in Abuja, was convened to drive the implementation of AU Assembly Decision 967 of February 2026.

The decision mandated stakeholders to submit concrete recommendations for reforming the continental security framework by January 2027.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Odumegwu-Ojukwu painted a gloomy picture of Africa’s security landscape, noting that terrorism, once confined to the Sahel, had spread to West Africa’s coastal states, the Lake Chad Basin, the Horn of Africa, the Great Lakes region and northern Mozambique.

She also raised the alarm over the evolving tactics of terrorist groups, which now leverage drones, illicit financial flows, organised criminal networks and illegal artisanal mining to sustain and expand their operations.

While acknowledging the gains recorded by the AUPSA, the minister admitted that implementation gaps had continued to weaken its impact on the ground.

She expressed optimism that deliberations at the forum would yield workable and implementable solutions to reposition Africa’s peace and security institutions for better results.

The minister identified early warning mechanisms, predictable and sustainable funding, and enhanced synergy between the AU and regional economic communities as key areas requiring urgent reform.