President Bola Tinubu has called for stronger cooperation among African nations to tackle terrorism, cybercrime, transnational crime, and other security challenges threatening the continent.
Speaking through Vice President Kashim Shettima at the maiden African Chiefs of Defence Staff Summit 2025 in Abuja on Monday, Tinubu urged defence chiefs to develop a new continental defence doctrine anchored on trust, shared intelligence, and coordinated action.
“The scale of threats on the continent demands a united response. From the deserts where insurgency festers, to the high seas where piracy prowls, from the silent corridors of cybercrime to the ruthless networks of transnational criminals, none of these tragedies respects borders,” he said.
He stressed that African nations must not respond in isolation, adding: “This is the moment to reassess our military objectives in the collective aspiration to make Africa safe.”
Tinubu proposed the establishment of a permanent African Chiefs of Defence Staff Forum to serve as a platform for dialogue, strategic planning, and operational coordination.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to regional peace through peacekeeping, counterterrorism, and humanitarian efforts, Tinubu also urged African nations to invest in cyber defence, artificial intelligence, and indigenous military innovation.
“Africa cannot remain merely a consumer of technology; we must be creators, innovators, and owners of the tools that secure our tomorrow,” he declared, while calling for private sector partnerships in defence innovation and capacity building.
Other speakers at the summit included Defence Minister Badaru Abubakar, represented by Minister of State Bello Matawalle, who described the gathering as a bold step in African security cooperation; UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, who called it the beginning of a new era in African security; and ECOWAS Commission president Omar Touray, represented by Abdel-Fatau Musah, who affirmed the initiative’s alignment with Tinubu’s vision.
Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, pledged continued commitment to regional stability and urged counterparts to prioritise cyber defence and technology-driven solutions.
Former presidential chief of staff Ibrahim Gambari also commended the summit, stressing the need for stronger coordination and intelligence-sharing to build a homegrown African security framework.