• Says we cannot neutralise threats in isolation
•  Proposes forum for coordination

President Bola Tinubu has called on African nations to abandon fragmented security responses and commit to building a common defence architecture capable of confronting the continent’s escalating security crises.

Speaking at the opening of the maiden African Chiefs of Defence Staff Summit 2025 in Abuja on Monday, Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, warned that the scale and complexity of Africa’s challenges are too vast for any one nation to tackle alone.

“From the deserts where insurgency festers, to the high seas where piracy prowls, from the silent corridors of cybercrime to the ruthless networks of transnational criminals, none of these tragedies respects borders, and neither should our response. What is true of our challenges must also be true of our resolve: we cannot neutralise these threats in isolation,” Tinubu said.

The President proposed the creation of a permanent African Chiefs of Defence Staff Forum, which he said would institutionalise dialogue, foresight, and operational coordination among military leaders across the continent.

Such a forum, he argued, would ensure African defence institutions “speak with one voice and act with one purpose,” transforming cooperation into a lasting commitment rather than a one-off event.

He described the summit as a “village square of ideas” where Africa’s guardians must meet at a time of unprecedented challenges, insisting that collective defence has become an urgent necessity.

Tinubu stressed that modern threats, often asymmetric, digital, and borderless, require Africa to move beyond dependence on external solutions.

He urged investment in indigenous military innovation, artificial intelligence, and cyber defence, warning that the continent risks perpetual vulnerability if it remains only a consumer of foreign technology.

“Africa cannot remain merely a consumer of technology; we must be creators, innovators, and owners of the tools that secure our tomorrow,” he said, while appealing for stronger collaboration with the private sector to build a continental defence-industrial base.

According to him, peace and security are the indispensable pillars of sustainable development: “Without stability, our aspirations for economic growth, human capital advancement, and continental integration will be undermined.”

Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s longstanding role as a reliable neighbour and peace partner, recalling the sacrifices of the Nigerian Armed Forces in peacekeeping, counterterrorism, and humanitarian missions within and beyond its borders.

He also paid tribute to fallen soldiers across the continent, saying their sacrifices must be honoured through institutions and partnerships that guarantee lasting security for future generations.

The summit brought together defence chiefs from across Africa, UN officials, ECOWAS representatives, legislators, and foreign diplomats, many of whom endorsed Tinubu’s call for unity.

Deputy UN Secretary-General Amina Mohammed described the gathering as “the birth of a new era in African security cooperation,” urging proactive steps to counter terrorists’ exploitation of emerging technologies.

ECOWAS Commission President Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, represented by Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, said the initiative aligns with Tinubu’s continental security vision. “No region in Africa is spared from the scourge of insecurity. Cooperation is not just desirable; it is existential,” he said.

Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, pressed counterparts to prioritise cyber defence, artificial intelligence, and homegrown military technology, warning that without these, lasting security would remain elusive.

Former Chief of Staff to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, applauded Tinubu for convening the summit, stressing that Africa must own and shape its security architecture to guarantee territorial and human security.

Also speaking, Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Bashir Ojulari, said recent gains in curbing crude theft and pipeline vandalism underscore the value of coordinated security efforts.

Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, represented by Minister of State Bello Matawale, described the Abuja summit as “a bold statement of Africa’s collective resolve to pursue homegrown solutions to insecurity.”