Nigeria has called for stronger political, economic and security cooperation with countries in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin, stressing the need for deeper regional collaboration to address shared security and development challenges.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, made the call on Saturday in Maiduguri, Borno State, at a two-day high-level retreat involving Nigerian ambassadors and diplomatic representatives from the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin.
The retreat, themed “Strengthening Nigeria’s Engagement with the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin Countries: Towards Peace, Security and Sustainable Regional Development,” brought together diplomats, regional institutions, security agencies, development partners and other stakeholders.
Enikanolaiye said Nigeria’s relations with neighbouring countries must be strengthened because developments across the region have direct implications for the country’s national security, economy and diplomatic interests.
He noted that events in Niger, Chad, Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritania and Cameroon could have consequences for Nigeria, particularly communities in the North-East and other areas connected to the region through trade, migration and security.
“What happens in Niamey affects Maiduguri. What happens in N’Djamena influences Borno,” the minister said, emphasising the interconnected nature of the region.
According to him, economic cooperation, trade, commerce, peace and stability in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin are indispensable to Nigeria’s national interest.
He therefore called for a more coordinated approach that goes beyond security cooperation to include economic integration, humanitarian assistance and stronger people-to-people relations.
The minister said the retreat was expected to produce a Maiduguri Roadmap for Nigeria’s Continued Engagement with the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin Countries.
The proposed roadmap is expected to cover political dialogue, security cooperation, economic integration, humanitarian collaboration and people-to-people engagement.
It is also expected to provide a framework for regular high-level bilateral visits, periodic political consultations, Joint Commission meetings and sectoral working groups to ensure that agreements reached between Nigeria and regional partners are implemented.
The initiative comes against the backdrop of persistent insecurity and humanitarian challenges affecting parts of the Sahel and Lake Chad region. The United Nations has similarly identified stronger regional and subregional partnerships as important to addressing cross-border threats to peace and security in West Africa, the Sahel and the Lake Chad Basin.
Maiduguri was deliberately chosen as the venue for the retreat, with Enikanolaiye describing the city as a symbol of resilience, recovery and renewed hope.
The minister said the meeting provided an opportunity for participants to review Nigeria’s existing relations with countries in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin and develop practical strategies for strengthening them.
The proposed development compact is intended to link security and development efforts, recognising that sustainable peace in the region will require cooperation on economic opportunities, trade, humanitarian needs and regional stability alongside military and security measures.
The outcome of the retreat is expected to guide Nigeria’s future diplomatic engagement with countries in the two regions and strengthen coordination on issues that cross national borders.
