President Bola Tinubu has called for a major boost to West Africa’s joint security efforts, offering Nigeria’s resources as a central tool in the fight against armed groups. The move comes as violence spreads across the Sahel region.
Speaking at a high-level meeting in Ghana, Nigeria’s leader pushed for the reactivation of a regional standby military force. He argued that countries can no longer face the growing threats alone.
Crucially, Tinubu proposed using Nigeria’s National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) in Abuja as a shared headquarters for intelligence and planning. He stated the centre is ready to serve as a coordinating hub for all member states.
The President raised a specific alarm about terrorists increasingly using the internet and social media. He urged neighbouring countries to connect to Nigeria’s own systems for tracking online propaganda and disinformation.
This offer marks a clear attempt by Nigeria to lead a unified regional response. Tinubu stressed that deeper cooperation and shared resources are now essential for peace and stability.
The two-day conference concluded with calls for urgent action. Many leaders agreed that the security situation requires a new level of partnership, though details on funding and command of the proposed force remain to be settled.
