Abuja Becomes Africa’s Security Nerve Centre as Defence Chiefs Unite for Historic Summit
Abuja Becomes Africa’s Security Nerve Centre as Defence Chiefs Unite for Historic Summit
Abuja Becomes Africa’s Security Nerve Centre as Defence Chiefs Unite for Historic Summit
By Ayshatu S. Rabo
Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, was transformed into the epicentre of Africa’s collective security aspirations as defence chiefs from all 54 African nations gathered for the maiden African Chiefs of Defence Staff Summit at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre.
Themed “Combating Contemporary Threats to Regional Peace and Security in Africa: The Role of Strategic Defence Collaboration,” the landmark summit was not just a convergence of military uniforms and ranks but the beginning of a continental security consciousness.
For the first time in history, Africa’s top military leaders sat shoulder to shoulder under one roof, affirming the continent’s resolve to confront terrorism, insurgency, piracy, cyber warfare, transnational crime, and economic sabotage. Against decades in which Africa’s conflicts were too often shaped by external actors, the Abuja summit signaled a new era: a doctrine that Africa’s future security must be designed and owned by Africans themselves.
Declaring the summit open on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima described the gathering as a “historic meeting of Africa’s guardians united by destiny rather than geography.” He warned that insecurity respects no borders, stressing that only collective action could defeat threats from insurgency in the deserts to piracy at sea and cybercrime in the digital space.
“Our response must transcend borders,” Shettima declared, calling for intelligence-sharing, joint training, interoperable systems, and investment in indigenous defence innovation. He urged African nations to embrace cyber defence, artificial intelligence, and military-industrial collaboration, emphasizing that Africa must “become creators, not just consumers, of technology that will secure our future.”
Shettima further proposed the institutionalisation of an African Chiefs of Defence Forum as a permanent platform for dialogue, coordination, and cooperation.
Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, underscored the urgency of the summit with a blunt warning: “The enemy is within; hence, we must be the architects of our defence and security.” He stressed intelligence-sharing, joint operations, and homegrown solutions, while urging stronger private sector involvement in defence innovation.
International voices also weighed in. UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed hailed the summit as a historic step toward linking African security with development. “There can be no development without peace, and no peace without justice,” she reminded leaders, highlighting poverty, inequality, and climate change as root causes of instability.
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From ECOWAS, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, warned of Africa’s disproportionate share in the global war on terror. He revealed that the Sahel accounted for over half of terrorism-related deaths in 2024, urging stronger UN funding for African-led counterterrorism.
Veteran diplomat Professor Ibrahim Gambari delivered a sobering message, warning that more than 1,000 insurgent groups are active across the continent. “No one can do for Africa what Africans must do for themselves,” he cautioned, calling for a holistic approach that secures both borders and human security by tackling food insecurity, unemployment, and weak institutions.
Adding a unique perspective, Invictus Games Foundation leader David Wiseman celebrated Nigeria’s achievements in rehabilitating wounded soldiers through sports, inviting African militaries to join the Invictus movement and envisioning an African presence at future games.
The summit also showcased African-made military technologies, signaling a decisive shift from dependence on foreign suppliers to homegrown defence innovation.
As the event drew to a close, what lingered was more than speeches—it was a shared conviction. The Abuja summit left Africa with a new mandate: that its security future must be anchored in solidarity, innovation, and self-reliance.
In Shettima’s declaration that “Africa’s security can no longer be outsourced” and General Musa’s reminder that “the enemy is within,” Abuja became the stage where Africa’s collective defence destiny was redrawn.
Abuja Becomes Africa’s Security Nerve Centre as Defence Chiefs Unite for Historic Summit
