ECOWAS conducts security assessments in Nigeria, others
The Economic Community of West African States has embarked on a comprehensive resilience and human security assessment across its member states, with Nigeria being the first to undertake this critical evaluation.
Co-funded by the European Union and the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the initiative aims to gain a deeper understanding of security dynamics, trends and resilience structures that support human security in the region.
Speaking at a technical session in Abuja on Monday, the Director of the Office for Strategic Preparedness and Response in Nigeria, Chris Ngwodo described the meeting as an inception dialogue marking the commencement of the assessment.
He emphasised that the study would map human security vulnerabilities and resilience factors within Nigeria.
Ngwodo explained, “It is a study that is being undertaken across West Africa but Nigeria is the first country to undertake it.
“It is aimed at mapping human security vulnerability and resilience factors within our country.
“We want to achieve an understanding of the complex issues that underline conflicts and instability within Nigeria.
“We want to map the resilience factors that can help us to become better in combating those issues that engender conflicts and strive and above all, we want to be able to get empirical data that can be used to reform policy interventions by the government.”
The initiative followed a previous human security vulnerability assessment conducted in 2018, which has proven valuable in establishing early warning systems across West Africa, particularly in Nigeria.
The current exercise builds on these efforts, with plans to visit conflict hot spots and areas of resilience to understand the factors contributing to their stability.
“The findings have been very useful in helping to establish early warning across West Africa and in Nigeria in particular,” Ngwodo said, adding that “this is a continuation in that particular line of inquiry.”
The assessment represents a significant step towards strengthening human security and fostering resilience in Nigeria and the broader West African region
