By Auwal Ahmad, Abuja

The Federal Government has launched a national framework to strengthen conflict prevention and address the underlying causes of insecurity, amid persistent security and humanitarian challenges across Nigeria.

The National Framework for Peace, Social Cohesion and Resilience is intended to provide a common strategy for government institutions, security agencies, state governments and non-governmental organisations to coordinate peacebuilding initiatives and prevent disputes from escalating into violence.

The framework was unveiled on Thursday at the Abuja Continental Hotel by the Office for Strategic Preparedness and Resilience (OSPRE) in partnership with Triple Peace Africa.

The launch brought together government officials, representatives of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), state peace commissions, security institutions, civil society organisations and development partners.

Supported by the European Union (EU) and the German development agency, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the framework was developed through consultations lasting more than a year.

The process involved federal and state institutions, security agencies, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations and peacebuilding practitioners.

The framework seeks to establish a coordinated system linking early warning mechanisms, conflict prevention, timely response, dispute resolution and community resilience.

Speaking at the event, the Director-General of OSPRE, Chris Ngwodo, said the initiative reflected a growing recognition that sustainable peace could not be achieved through government action alone.

Mr Ngwodo said the process began in 2025 as an effort to review the country’s existing National Peace Policy but evolved into a broader framework following consultations on Nigeria’s changing security and governance challenges.

He said the document represented a consensus among stakeholders on the institutional arrangements and priorities required to strengthen peacebuilding across the country.

In his keynote address, the Special Adviser to the President on Homeland Security, Adeyinka Famadewa, a retired major general, said military operations and law enforcement measures were insufficient to address the factors sustaining conflicts.

“Peace cannot be secured by military and law enforcement measures alone. Sustainable security requires functioning institutions, responsive governance, social trust, credible mechanisms for resolving disputes, and communities equipped with the capacities to prevent and withstand crises,” he said.

Mr Famadewa said the framework would help address the disconnect between conventional security operations and civilian-led peacebuilding by improving coordination among federal, state and local institutions.

He also said it would complement the National Threat Assessment and Strategic Defence Operations Plan directed by President Bola Tinubu, providing a broader approach to national security that incorporates governance, institutional capacity and community participation.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Bernard Doro, said the framework was relevant to addressing humanitarian challenges, including displacement, loss of livelihoods and the vulnerability of communities affected by violence.

Mr Doro said humanitarian interventions would have limited long-term impact without efforts to address the factors responsible for insecurity.

He called for stronger cooperation among government agencies, humanitarian organisations, peacebuilding groups and development partners.

The Director-General of the National Boundary Commission, Adamu Adaji, drew attention to the security challenges confronting Nigeria’s border communities, particularly competition over natural resources, cross-border movements and communal tensions.

He said the framework could strengthen the integration of early warning and community-based conflict prevention into border management, while improving cooperation among relevant institutions and affected communities.

Similarly, the Special Assistant to the President on Humanitarian Affairs and Development Partners in the Office of the Vice-President, Inna Audu, said peacebuilding should form part of national development planning and humanitarian interventions.

She emphasised the need for better coordination between government priorities and development partners’ programmes, particularly in communities experiencing conflict, displacement and economic vulnerability.

Earlier, the Executive Director of Triple Peace Africa, Paul Nyulaku, said the framework emerged from consultations involving institutions and practitioners with different responsibilities and experiences in peacebuilding.

He described the document as a product of collective contributions from institutions, practitioners and communities across Nigeria.

The launch is expected to be followed by efforts to secure institutional adoption, coordinate implementation and develop mechanisms for translating the framework’s objectives into practical interventions.

However, its effectiveness will depend on how participating institutions incorporate its principles into their operations, coordinate their activities and sustain the resources required for implementation.

OSPRE and Triple Peace Africa said the initiative was intended to make peacebuilding an integral part of governance, national security and sustainable development.