By Faith Anisiobi, The Sight News
Nigeria has announced plans to deepen diplomatic engagement with countries in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin, including efforts to mend strained political and diplomatic relations with the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) comprising Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, disclosed this on Saturday in Maiduguri, Borno State, at the opening of a two-day High-Level Retreat of Nigerian Ambassadors and Sahel/Lake Chad diplomatic representatives.
The retreat, themed “Strengthening Nigeria’s Engagement with the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin Countries: Towards Peace, Security and Sustainable Regional Development,” is aimed at redefining Nigeria’s regional engagement and developing practical responses to shared security, economic and humanitarian challenges.
Enikanolaiye said the deteriorating security situation in the Sahel, characterized by terrorism, violent extremism, transnational organized crime, irregular migration, climate change and humanitarian crises, required collective and coordinated action.
He stressed that Nigeria could not afford to remain detached from developments in neighbouring countries, noting that events in Niamey, N’Djamena, Bamako and Ouagadougou have direct implications for Nigeria’s national security and economic wellbeing.
“What happens in Niamey affects Maiduguri. What happens in N’Djamena influences Borno. Developments in Bamako, Ouagadougou, Nouakchott and Yaoundé have direct implications for Nigeria’s national security, economic wellbeing and regional diplomacy,” he said.
The minister called for stronger diplomacy as the primary instrument of regional engagement, stressing the need for Nigeria to rebuild confidence and strengthen political relations with its neighbours.
He specifically urged the country to “mend fences” with the Alliance of Sahelian States (AES) at the political and diplomatic levels, while emphasising that relations with Nigeria’s contiguous neighbours remained critical to the country’s security and economic prosperity.
Enikanolaiye also advocated stronger economic integration, arguing that increased trade and industrial value addition could contribute significantly to lasting peace and stability in the region.
According to him, closer commercial ties, particularly in agriculture, food security and other productive sectors, would provide a stronger foundation for regional development.
The Minister revealed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had proposed the development of a Sahel Development Compact, designed to shift the regional focus from crisis management to sustainable development.
He said the proposed framework would promote cooperation in infrastructure, agriculture, trade, transport connectivity, energy, education, climate resilience, water resource management, humanitarian response and human capital development.
He stressed that sustainable peace could not be achieved through military action alone, but must be supported by inclusive economic growth, social justice and opportunities for young people.
$50bn Sought for Lake Chad Recharge
Enikanolaiye also called for renewed efforts to revive Lake Chad, describing the project as critical to the security, environment and livelihoods of communities across the region.
He urged stakeholders to move beyond debates over feasibility and environmental impact assessments and take concrete steps towards mobilizing the estimated $50 billion required to actualize the Lake Chad recharge project.
The minister also called for renewed commitment to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) to strengthen collective efforts against persistent security threats in the Lake Chad Basin.
Enikanolaiye said the retreat was expected to produce the Maiduguri Roadmap for Nigeria’s Continued Engagement with the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin Countries.
According to him, the roadmap would provide a framework for sustained political dialogue, enhanced security cooperation, economic integration, humanitarian collaboration and stronger people-to-people relations.
It is also expected to establish mechanisms for regular high-level bilateral visits between Nigeria and neighbouring countries, institutionalize periodic political consultations, encourage Joint Commission meetings and create sectoral working groups to ensure implementation of agreed resolutions.
The minister described Maiduguri as a symbolic venue for the retreat, noting the city’s transformation from being widely perceived as an epicentre of insecurity to a symbol of resilience, recovery and renewed hope.
He said the progress recorded in Borno offered lessons for the wider Sahel region on the importance of visionary leadership, resilience and sustained commitment to development.
Enikanolaiye reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to African solidarity, regional integration and peaceful coexistence, saying the country’s leadership role should be demonstrated through bridge-building, dialogue and cooperation rather than attempts to dictate outcomes.
He urged diplomats attending the retreat to approach their deliberations with openness and a shared sense of purpose, stressing that diplomacy remained one of Nigeria’s strongest instruments for preserving peace.
The minister said the success of the retreat would ultimately be measured by the practicality of its recommendations and the extent to which they translated into stronger regional cooperation and a more peaceful, stable and prosperous Sahel and Lake Chad Basin.
