AU accredits Nigeria’s counter-terrorism centre as regional hub

The African Union has officially recognized Nigeria's National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) as a Regional Centre of Excellence in Counter-Terrorism, expanding its mandate to assist West African and Sahel countries in combating terrorism and violent extremism. This accreditation, announced on October 27, 2026, follows a thorough assessment of the NCTC's institutional capacity, governance, training programs, analytical capabilities, coordination mechanisms, and compliance with human rights and the rule of law.

The African Union Counter-Terrorism Centre Director, Dr. Idriss Mounir Lallali, made the announcement at the conclusion of the African Lessons Learned Forum in Abuja. The accreditation is seen as fulfilling President Bola Tinubu's vision to position the NCTC as a regional hub for intelligence sharing, operational coordination, specialized training, and capacity building in the fight against terrorism.

It also marks a significant milestone in Nigeria's contribution to collective African security, as the NCTC will now support African Union member states, particularly in West Africa and the Sahel, through enhanced counter-terrorism cooperation, institutional capacity development, joint threat analysis, research, technical assistance, and lessons-learned exchanges.