To strengthen regional collaboration in the fight against violent extremism, the National Counter Terrorism Centre under the Office of the National Security Adviser (NCTC-ONSA), in partnership with PAVE Network, will host a Northwest stakeholders’ summit on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE).
The summit, scheduled for August 19–20, 2025, at the Yar’Adua Centre, Murtala Mohammed Square, Kaduna, is being organised by the PCVE Knowledge, Innovation and Resource Hub (KIRH) and PAVE Network, with support from the Nigeria Early Youth Innovation Fund (NEYIF) and funding from the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF).
Chairman of the PCVE KIRH Development and Management Team, Jaye Gaskia, said the event aims to develop a cohesive regional framework for PCVE in the Northwest, refine state-specific plans, and align them with national priorities.
He noted that the initiative builds on previous interventions, including the Northwest PCVE Training of Trainers and the establishment of the Northwest Community of Practice for PCVE practitioners.
“The threats posed by violent extremism in the Northwest require urgent, innovative, and collaborative responses,” Gaskia said. “This summit is not just a meeting; it is a turning point in how we organise ourselves as a region to build resilience and sustain peace. It will also provide an opportunity for community voices to directly influence policy direction.”
Gaskia explained that the PCVE KIRH serves as a national technical and knowledge support entity, coordinating evidence-based responses to violent extremism. It functions as a central repository of PCVE knowledge and collaboration, and is a flagship initiative of the PAVE Network implemented with support from NCTC-ONSA and the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), with strategic backing from ActionAid Nigeria.
The PAVE Network, a civil society coalition active in over 15 states, plays a key role in amplifying civil society’s contribution to PCVE policies and initiatives.
According to Gaskia, the summit will focus on refining draft PCVE plans for the seven Northwest states, identifying regional priorities, and developing a Northwest PCVE response framework.
This framework, he added, will form a pillar of a broader Northwest Common Security Strategy and feed into the ongoing national review of the PCVE Policy Framework and National Action Plan (PFNAP).
