ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigeria has officially assumed the chairmanship of the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) for the month of May 2026, marking its return to the leadership role for the first time since late 2022.
The spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa announced the transition on Friday, noting that Nigeria remains the only member state to have served continuously on the council since its inception in 2004. Officials say this “institutional memory” will be vital as the nation steers discussions on several escalating security crises across the continent.
A Packed Security Agenda
Nigeria’s month-long tenure will focus on a range of thematic and regional challenges, with a heavy emphasis on the West African and Sahel regions. Key priorities include:
- Climate and Conflict: Assessing how climate change is fueling instability in the Lake Chad Basin.
- Maritime Piracy: Advancing the operationalization of a Combined Maritime Task Force to secure the Gulf of Guinea.
- Counter-Terrorism: Reviewing a draft five-year strategic plan for continental counter-terrorism efforts.
- Organised Crime: Developing broader African strategies to combat transnational criminal networks.
The Role of the Council
The PSC is the AU’s primary organ for the prevention, management, and resolution of conflicts. It consists of 15 member states elected to represent the continent’s various regions.
Nigeria currently sits on the council alongside 14 other nations, including South Africa, Algeria, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The move comes at a critical time as the continent seeks to operationalize the African Standby Force, a long-discussed military contingent intended to provide the AU with a rapid-response capability for humanitarian crises and peacekeeping.
Add Comment