Nigeria Assumes AU Peace and Security Council Chairmanship, to Lead Continental Drive Against Terrorism and Instability

Nigeria has formally taken over the chairmanship of the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council for May 2026, placing the country at the forefront of continental efforts to address conflicts, insecurity, and emerging threats across Africa.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the development in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, noting that the appointment reflects Nigeria’s longstanding influence and leadership within the AU’s peace and security framework.

According to the Ministry, Nigeria last chaired the Council in December 2022 and remains the only AU member state with uninterrupted membership since the Council’s establishment in 2004, giving it deep institutional experience in conflict prevention and resolution.

During its month-long chairmanship, Nigeria is expected to steer high-level discussions on pressing security challenges affecting the continent, particularly in West Africa and the Sahel region.

Key agenda priorities include addressing the growing impact of climate change on security in the Lake Chad Basin and the Sahel, strengthening responses to transnational organised crime, and advancing the Draft Five-Year AU Continental Counter-Terrorism Strategic Plan of Action.

Nigeria will also push discussions on the operationalisation of the African Standby Force and enhanced maritime security cooperation, including a proposed Combined Maritime Task Force to combat piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.

The AU Peace and Security Council is the continent’s central decision-making body for conflict prevention, management, and resolution. It comprises 15 member states elected by the AU Executive Council and endorsed by the Assembly, serving staggered two- and three-year terms based on regional representation.

Current members of the Council include Nigeria, Benin, Gabon, Algeria, Lesotho, Morocco, Somalia, South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Ethiopia, Cameroon, and Eswatini.