The Director-General of the National Boundary Commission (NBC), Surveyor Adamu A. Adaji, has urged African countries to prioritise negotiation and the interests of border communities in resolving boundary disputes, citing the Nigeria-Cameroon experience as a model for peaceful cooperation.

Adaji said border demarcation should be guided by the spirit of African brotherhood rather than confrontation, stressing that the concerns of local communities must be considered in efforts to settle disputes between neighbouring countries.

He spoke at the 2026 Abidjan Border Forum in Côte d’Ivoire, which ended yesterday after three days of deliberations on the theme, “People at the Borders: Culture, Integration, and Security.”

“There is need for negotiation in the demarcation of borders in the spirit of African brotherhood and taking into consideration the interest of the local communities,” the NBC chief said.

He cited the resolution of the Nigeria-Cameroon border dispute as evidence that diplomatic engagement could help move countries away from tension and litigation towards cooperation and peaceful coexistence.

The forum called on African countries to stop viewing borders merely as dividing lines and instead treat them as spaces for cultural exchange, regional integration and collective security.

The gathering was declared open by the Prime Minister of Côte d’Ivoire, Robert Beugré Mambé, while the Chairman of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, delivered the inaugural address.

Institutionalised by the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government in February 2025, the forum serves as a continental platform for strengthening border governance in Africa.

Participants emphasised the importance of community dialogue, cultural exchanges and joint initiatives in building trust among border populations and reducing security threats.

Among the key resolutions was a call for African countries to ratify the African Union Convention on Cross-Border Cooperation and institutionalise local cross-border cooperation to improve responses to emerging threats.

The proposed framework is expected to enable local authorities and border communities to share information, address tensions and strengthen early-warning and early-response mechanisms.

Nigeria has already ratified the convention through the NBC in 2023, paving the way for a Memorandum of Understanding on Local Cross-Border Cooperation with the Republic of Benin, signed on August 18, 2025.

The agreement provides a framework for collaboration between border local government areas in Nigeria and border communes in Benin, involving traditional rulers and other local stakeholders.

According to the commission, both countries are working towards implementing the agreement to translate the diplomatic commitment into practical cooperation that benefits border communities and safeguards national security.

The NBC said operationalising the agreement would strengthen collaboration between local authorities and communities on both sides of the border.

Adaji commended the government and people of Côte d’Ivoire, the African Union and development partners for supporting the successful hosting of the forum.