The Federal Government of Nigeria has called for a comprehensive overhaul of the African Union Peace and Security Architecture, AUPSA to effectively address escalating terrorism and instability across the continent.
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, made the call in Abuja during a high-level consultative forum aimed at strengthening the effectiveness of the African Union’s security framework.
The forum was convened to advance the implementation of AU Assembly Decision 967 of February 2026, which mandates stakeholders to submit concrete recommendations for reforming the continental security architecture by January 2027.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Odumegwu-Ojukwu expressed concern over Africa’s worsening security situation, noting that terrorism, once largely concentrated in the Sahel, had spread to coastal West African states, the Lake Chad Basin, the Horn of Africa, the Great Lakes region and northern Mozambique.
She also warned that terrorist groups were adopting increasingly sophisticated methods, including the use of drones, illicit financial flows, organised criminal networks and illegal artisanal mining to finance and expand their operations.
While acknowledging the progress recorded by the AUPSA, the minister noted that persistent implementation gaps had continued to undermine its effectiveness in addressing security challenges on the ground.
She expressed optimism that discussions at the forum would produce practical and implementable recommendations capable of repositioning Africa’s peace and security institutions for improved results.
The minister identified stronger early warning mechanisms, predictable and sustainable funding, and improved cooperation between the African Union and regional economic communities as critical areas requiring urgent reforms.
She stressed the need to strengthen the continent’s collective security response to emerging threats and ensure that the AU’s peace and security framework delivers more effective outcomes across Africa.
