SPRiNG Convenes High-Level Forum to Strengthen Peace, Climate Resilience in Nigeria

The Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria (SPRiNG) Programme has convened a high-level government officials, security agencies, programme partners, and civil society leaders in Abuja for its inaugural Annual Learning and Adaptation Event. The event brought together key actors to review evidence-based strategies for reducing violence and institutionalizing peace and strengthening climate resilience across northern […]

The Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria (SPRiNG) Programme has convened a high-level government officials, security agencies, programme partners, and civil society leaders in Abuja for its inaugural Annual Learning and Adaptation Event.

The event brought together key actors to review evidence-based strategies for reducing violence and institutionalizing peace and strengthening climate resilience across northern Nigeria.

Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), SPRiNG’s two-day event provides a platform to assess the programme’s progress, test assumptions against evolving conflict and climate change dynamics, and integrate lessons learned into future policy and programme planning.

Among those present includes, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Richard Montgomery, the representative of the Coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, Major General A.G. Laka.

The gathering highlighted a major shift in SPRiNG’s approach: moving beyond ad-hoc peace efforts to strengthening institutional systems and mechanisms for stability.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Montgomery emphasized the centrality of peace and resilience to UK-Nigeria bilateral relations, stating: “I can’t think of any topic that is more topical given recent events and recent international commentary on Nigeria. This is a topic which is absolutely central to our partnership with Nigeria, to the work of the British High Commission.”

Montgomery also highlighted Nigeria’s strategic importance to the United Kingdom as he explained that “Nigeria is one of our important diplomatic partners. The judgment that we make, and our ministers make, is that Nigeria’s influence will only grow. If it grows very fast, and you’re becoming a bigger population, the importance and influence of Nigeria is going to grow in the decades ahead. And that’s why our foreign secretaries signed the strategic partnership in 2024.”

The British High Commissioner explained that SPRiNG is within the broader UK-Nigeria Strategic Partnership signed in 2024, noting that the security and defense dialogue encompasses both “kinetic” and “non-kinetic” approaches.

“It’s about providing institutional support to the official agencies of the federal government of Nigeria. It’s about building community-based initiatives, law enforcement, and community resilience”, he stressed.

He emphasized that “SPRiNG provides a vehicle, a platform, for partners to find catalytic support to find relationships that can promote these approaches.”

On his part, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris emphasised the importance of strategic communication and institutional collaboration in national stability.

He was joined by representatives of Hajiya Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim (Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development) and Alhaji Idi Mukhtar Maiha (Minister of Livestock Development), who underscored the nexus between gender inclusion, agropastoral practices and livelihoods, and their contributions to national security.

In his context-setting presentation, SPRiNG Team Leader, Dr. Ukoha Ukiwo, noted that the programme’s strength lies in its “Evidence-driven and Adaptive Management” approach.

“Conflict is dynamic; our solutions must be too. Today was about validating the evidence and impacts of our intervention, learn from what, where, and how we are making progress, and ensuring that our support to different government and civil society partners, like the Benue State Commission for Peace and Reconciliation (BSCPR) and the Kaduna State Ministry of Internal Security, are not just reactive, but structurally preventive,” said Dr. Ukiwo.

A high-level panel moderated by Kemi Okenyedo explored progress and opportunities in strengthening peace and resilience. Panelists included Ms. Josephine Habba (DG, Benue State Commission for Peace and Reconciliation), who shared insights on interstate collaboration; Dr. Sulaiman Shuaibu (Commissioner, Ministry of Internal Security, Kaduna State); and Ms. Lantana Abdullahi (WOPPI), who advocated for the formal inclusion of women in peace and security architectures.

The event concluded with a Project Fair, allowing stakeholders to interact directly with beneficiaries and implementing partners to understand the practical “Peace Dividend” being delivered to communities across Benue, Kaduna, Katsina, and Plateau states.