NBC: Stronger Border Cooperation Needed to Tackle Africa’s Security Threats

The National Boundary Commission (NBC) has called for enhanced collaboration among African nations, academia, border communities, and development allies to address escalating security and governance issues in Africa’s border regions. NBC Director General Emmanuel Adaji made this appeal during the inauguration of the 2026 International Conference of the African Borderlands Research Network (ABORNE) in Lagos.

The conference, held from August 24 to 28, focuses on themes including connected borderlands, socio-cultural integration, and the significance of policy, research, and security.

Adaji characterized borderlands as zones of interaction, cooperation, opportunity, and sometimes contestation. He emphasized that managing these areas effectively necessitates more than just physical infrastructure and security measures; it also requires rigorous research and evidence-based policies. The NBC, a key conference partner, engaged in a plenary discussion titled "Frontiers: Border Demarcation, Maritime Governance, and Cross-Border Cooperation in a Changing Security Landscape."

The panel included Adaji, NBC's Director of Maritime Boundaries Nurudeen Abba, Head of Cross-Border Cooperation Dr. Farouk Tarfa, and Commodore M.S. Shettima, the Force Commander of the Multi-National Maritime Task Force in the Gulf of Guinea. The session, moderated by ABORNE's Dr. Willie Eselebor, explored challenges related to boundary delimitation, cross-border security, and maritime governance, particularly concerning terrorism, banditry, arms trafficking, irregular migration, smuggling, and maritime insecurity.

Adaji stressed that tackling these challenges demands closer coordination among governments, academia, border communities, and development partners. He argued that African countries should reconsider border governance, moving beyond a singular focus on territorial control. Adaji pointed out that the challenge lies in balancing sovereignty with cooperation, security with mobility, and national interests with regional aspirations.

ABORNE, established in 2007, is an interdisciplinary network dedicated to advancing research on international borders, borderlands, and transboundary phenomena across Africa, while also promoting policy engagement on border and borderland issues. The conference, co-hosted by Lagos State University and the Nigeria Immigration Service, features NBC, the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA), the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPPS), and the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) as participating institutions.