The Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS) Nigeria Alumni Chapter and the National Counterterrorism Centre (NCTC), Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), have strengthened collaboration to support the implementation of Nigeria’s National Counterterrorism Strategy (NACTEST) 2025–2030.

The renewed partnership was formalised during a strategic courtesy visit by the leadership of the ACSS Nigeria Alumni Chapter to the NCTC, where both organisations reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s counterterrorism architecture through policy support, capacity development, research and multi-stakeholder engagement.

Leading the delegation, President of the ACSS Nigeria Alumni Chapter, Major General B.A. Isandu (retd.), said the Chapter remained committed to supporting the Centre’s mandate through evidence-based solutions and technical expertise.

He noted that the Chapter brings together a multidisciplinary network of military, intelligence, law enforcement, diplomatic, legislative, academic, civil society, governance and development professionals, positioning it to contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to preventing and countering terrorism.

According to Isandu, the visit followed recommendations from the Africa Center for Strategic Studies Workshop on Counterterrorism Strategy Implementation and Oversight held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from May 11 to 13, 2026.

He explained that the workshop encouraged national ACSS alumni chapters to engage governments and national counterterrorism institutions in translating policy recommendations into practical actions.

During the meeting, the Chapter presented proposals to collaborate with the NCTC in areas including policy research and analysis, strategic capacity development, counterterrorism governance, legislative engagement, community resilience initiatives, strategic communications and knowledge exchange.

Isandu also pledged to leverage the ACSS regional chapters, international partnerships and multidisciplinary network of experts to jointly design programmes aimed at strengthening policy implementation, institutional capacity, inter-agency coordination, prevention of violent extremism and regional cooperation.

He thanked the National Coordinator of the NCTC, Major General Adamu Garba Laka, for receiving the delegation and reaffirmed the Chapter’s readiness to serve as a trusted strategic partner by providing technical expertise, convening power and access to regional best practices.

Responding, Laka welcomed the initiative and commended the ACSS Nigeria Alumni Chapter for its commitment to supporting the Centre’s mandate.

He noted that members of the ACSS network played significant roles in developing the National Counterterrorism Strategy (NACTEST) 2025–2030, describing the Chapter as a repository of valuable expertise.

The National Coordinator affirmed that the NCTC remained open to strategic partnerships capable of addressing Nigeria’s evolving security challenges through collaboration, innovation and knowledge sharing.