Nigeria seeks regional cooperation to strengthen border governance

The National Boundary Commission (NBC) of Nigeria is calling for strengthened collaboration among governments, academia, border communities, and development partners to tackle the complex challenges facing Africa's borderlands. This appeal was made during the ongoing Association of Borderlands Research Network 2026 International Conference in Lagos, themed “The Connected Borderlands, Socio-Cultural Integration, and the Centrality of Policy, Research, and Security.”

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strategic zones of interaction, cooperation, opportunity and, at times, contestation

Adamu Adaji, Director-General of the NBC, described borderlands as critical zones of interaction, cooperation, and potential contestation. He emphasized that effective border governance necessitates policies rooted in robust research and evidence-based analysis. Adaji highlighted that borders are increasingly significant spaces where security, trade, migration, environmental sustainability, identity, citizenship, and regional integration converge. He stressed that managing these borders effectively requires not only physical infrastructure and security measures but also informed policies derived from thorough research.

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the effective management of these borders requires not only physical infrastructure and security measures but also informed policies grounded in rigorous research and evidence-based analysis.

The NBC played a key role in a roundtable discussion focusing on border demarcation, maritime governance, and cross-border cooperation amidst evolving security landscapes. Discussions addressed challenges in boundary delimitation, transboundary security threats such as terrorism, banditry, arms trafficking, irregular migration, smuggling, and maritime insecurity. The session included senior NBC officials and the Force Commander of the Multi-National Maritime Task Force in the Gulf of Guinea.

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sustainable solutions to border challenges require strong collaboration between governments, academia, border communities and development partners

Adaji reiterated that sustainable solutions to border challenges depend on strong partnerships. He stated, "The challenge before us therefore is not merely how to secure borders, but how to govern them in ways that balance sovereignty with cooperation, security with mobility, and national interests with regional aspirations." The African Borderlands Research Network (ABORNE), established in 2007, aims to advance research and policy engagement on borders and borderlands across Africa.

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the challenge before us therefore is not merely how to secure borders, but how to govern them in ways that balance sovereignty with cooperation, security with mobility, and national interests with regional aspirations.