AU Accredits Nigeria’s Counter-Terrorism Centre as Regional Centre of Excellence

By Zainab Uzomah | Abuja

Nigeria’s National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), has been accredited by the African Union (AU) as a Regional Centre of Excellence in Counter Terrorism, strengthening Nigeria’s role in regional efforts to combat terrorism and violent extremism.

According to a report published on the NCTC’s official website, the accreditation was announced on October 27, 2026, by the Acting Director of the African Union Counter Terrorism Centre, Dr Idriss Mounir Lallali, at the conclusion of the African Lessons Learned Forum in Abuja. A separate statement signed by Abu I. Michael, Head of Strategic Communication at NCTC-ONSA, outlined the centre’s accreditation and expanded responsibilities.

The accreditation followed an assessment of the centre’s governance, training programmes, analytical capabilities, coordination mechanisms and commitment to human rights and the rule of law.

Speaking at the forum, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, stressed that counter-terrorism measures must respect human rights, uphold the rule of law and address grievances that make communities vulnerable to extremist recruitment.

Ribadu also reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to working with the African Union, the United Nations, the European Union and other international partners to advance African-led security initiatives.

He warned that terrorist groups were exploiting porous borders, illicit financial networks, digital platforms and emerging technologies to expand their operations, adding that military action alone could not defeat terrorism.

The NSA advocated a comprehensive approach involving intelligence sharing, law enforcement, counter-terrorism financing, rehabilitation, reintegration, community engagement and youth empowerment.

He also highlighted the use of artificial intelligence and drones by terrorist groups, noting that emerging technologies could support early warning, threat analysis and border security when deployed responsibly and within the law.

The NCTC’s new status will enable it to support African Union member states, particularly across West Africa and the Sahel, through specialised training, intelligence sharing, joint threat analysis, research, technical assistance and exchanges of operational lessons.

The accreditation will initially run for three years, subject to renewal, with the formal terms to be communicated to the Nigerian government by the AU Commission.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, said terrorism continued to claim lives, displace communities and disrupt education, healthcare and economic activities across affected regions.

In a goodwill message to the forum, Mohammed identified Nigeria’s North-East, the Lake Chad Basin, the Sahel and parts of East and Southern Africa as areas affected by the crisis.

She stressed that effective intelligence sharing depended on trust among security agencies, neighbouring countries and the public, while emphasising accountability and respect for human rights.

Also speaking, the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, said terrorist networks exploited national borders and gaps in security coordination.

Mignot disclosed that the EU had announced €20 million in non-lethal equipment support for the Nigerian Armed Forces through the European Peace Facility. He said the intervention complemented €285 million in EU support for the Multinational Joint Task Force operating in the Lake Chad Basin.

He called for coordinated action to disrupt terrorist financing, logistics and recruitment networks, reaffirming the EU’s commitment to strengthening collective security.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Country Representative to Nigeria, Cheikh Toure, said terrorist groups were increasingly collaborating with organised criminal networks across national borders.

He identified improvised explosive devices, digital platforms and artificial intelligence among the tools and technologies being exploited by terrorist groups.

Toure commended the NCTC for adapting international best practices to local realities through intelligence analysis, training, practical procedures and rehabilitation programmes.

He also highlighted Nigeria’s efforts to combat terrorism financing and organised crime, including the development of a national strategy against organised crime.

According to him, collaboration between UNODC and the NCTC was strengthening intelligence sharing and efforts to tackle illicit financial networks.

Earlier, the NCTC National Coordinator, Major General Adamu Garba Laka, said the African Lessons Learned Forum provided an opportunity for African countries to share experiences, assess successes and challenges, and strengthen cooperation against terrorism and violent extremism.

The accreditation builds on President Bola Tinubu’s declaration at the High-Level African Counter Terrorism Meeting in Abuja in April 2024 that the NCTC should serve as a regional hub for counter-terrorism cooperation in West Africa and the Sahel.

The Federal Government has pledged to provide the staffing, resources and institutional partnerships required for the centre to discharge its expanded regional responsibilities and maintain accreditation standards.

Source: National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Office of the National Security Adviser, official website.