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FOREIGN POLICY AND THE PATH TO PEACE IN A DANGEROUS NEIGHBOURHOOD

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11 months ago

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FOREIGN POLICY AND THE PATH TO PEACE IN A DANGEROUS NEIGHBOURHOOD

By: Michael
Mike

Nigeria’s foreign policy to promote peace and prosperity is a constitutional obligation as much as it is a considered and sensible manifesto pledge, writes Hon Yusuf Tuggar, Minister of Foreign Affairs.

I was born in a civil war and was not able to vote for my leader until I was in my 30s. Nigeria is now a country guided by the rule of law and a constitution that clearly defines our system of government. This includes our foreign policy objectives, and rightly so, because in an interconnected world, we define our sovereignty in the context of certain, key principles: our right to self-determination; our right to defend our autonomy and secure our borders; and responsibility to respect our obligations under international law.

As foreign minister, I think these provisions are not just reasonable but vital – both for our own democracy, domestic peace and prosperity but also for a more just and stable international order. But the point is this: it is the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, not the manifesto of a political party or predilections of a particular politician, that lays out these provisions. In a democracy, we have the privilege of healthy debate about our values, policies and performance. But if we are to live up to the responsibilities that come with democracy, that debate should be informed, fair and reasonable.

I respect the Constitution and its vision for Nigeria’s place in the international community, as do many of us. It has been an honour and a privilege to protect and promote those constitutional principles. They are the best guarantees for legitimacy, and the authority all governments need if they are to deliver. It is complex and time consuming. To our cost, we have learnt that there are no short cuts. Some Nigerians find fault in our Constitution, while others seek to amend it. There is always room for serious debate in a healthy democracy. But the fact remains it is the very document that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and every public official has sworn to uphold since 1999.

Nigeria’s Constitution declares that sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria, from whom government, through this Constitution, derives all its powers and authority. The same Chapter of the Constitution goes on to state Nigeria’s five foreign policy objectives: promotion and protection of the national interest, African integration and support for African unity, promotion of international cooperation for peace and mutual respect, respect of international law and treaty obligations and promotion of a just world economic order. Those who suggest Nigeria does not have a foreign policy or those who agitate for a shift away from an Afro-centric foreign policy are wrong; either they are ill-informed, or deliberately disingenuous.

The irony of it all is that Nigerians are able to speak in support of our military-ruled neighbours, governed without constitutions, precisely because Chapter Four of our own constitution guarantees them these rights and freedoms. This is not the same for the citizens ruled by the very regimes for which they seek to cheerlead of those countries governed without constitutions. Nigerians who are older than 30 know this to be true because we have been there, done that. Somehow in the passage of time, some forget that the military regime here that despatched troops to restore democracy in Sierra Leone and Liberia in the 1990s had first – and by force – taken that same democracy and rule of law away from us – just as military regimes continue to do the world over.

The Constitution also makes clear why any responsible Nigerian government should be concerned when neighbours are governed without a constitution or codified rules. It goes without saying that the sovereignty of our neighbours is their business. They can grant powers to whatever governing structures they deem fit and should expect their autonomy to remain safeguarded. But when our Interdependence Sovereignty overlaps, we equally have a right to exercise control over our borders in those cases where neighbours face insurgencies that significantly comprise territorial integrity and state authority.

International Legal Sovereignty also becomes an issue when we consider that respect for international law and treaty obligations is one of our irreducible foreign policy objectives. This is not the Tinubu administration’s foreign policy; it is a constitutional provision that every Nigerian President and government official swears to uphold. Nigeria is a member of ECOWAS, which is founded on treaties and protocols to which our foreign policy objectives commit us. All 15 member countries are signatory to the treaties and protocols, which is why it was no surprise that President Tinubu, as one who swore to uphold the Constitution, abided by it when ECOWAS leaders collectively objected to Unconstitutional Changes of Government.

In reality, the contemporary nation-state system is highly competitive and Nigeria exists in a self-help world. Our Constitution and international laws are meant to serve as guard rails in navigating the system. And by virtue of our size, we have the additional responsibility of being the regional power. Regardless of how some may try to diminish our standing, it is the way other countries perceive us. Our Constitution further reifies this leadership role right from the preamble- dedicating ourselves to promoting inter-African solidarity, to the foreign policy objectives- promotion of African integration and support for African unity and elimination of discrimination in all its manifestations.

The Tinubu administration comes at a time when an interlocking suite of occurrences have made our neighbourhood less secure; implosion of Libya, failure of the EU Sahel Strategy, terrorism and criminal gangs, effects of climate change and population explosion. Nigeria did not create these challenges and was equally contending with its own domestic issue as these challenges escalated. Nigeria was not part of Operation Barkhane or the G5 in the Sahel, which were intended as efforts to fight terrorism and irregular migration but instead strengthened some irridentist Azawad/Tuareg groups that controlled border areas. This created a cauldron of disharmony between them and their national militaries, trained for a lifetime to keep their countries intact.

Nor was Nigeria part of the Partnership Framework with Third countries that conditioned aid and trade deals for Sahelian migration transit states in exchange for reducing the flow of migrants, with penalties for those who do not comply. In the case of Niger, a moment of truth was the passing of Law 2015-36 in May 2015 when its government, in consultation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and technical and financial support from the European Union and its member states, criminalized ancillary activities of the migration economy, such as providing transportation and accommodation to foreign nationals anywhere north of Agadez, in direct contravention of ECOWAS Protocol on the free movement of people. They were persuaded to use a blunt hammer to crack a delicate nut. There is a highly politicised migration crisis in parts of Europe, that together we can and should resolve. But it was reckless to seek to solve one problem by creating another.

There is a reason why we have free movement in West Africa; seasonal migration- referred to in Hausa as ‘Ci Rani’. Seasonal migration in the semi-arid Sahel can be a matter of life and death, which is why we have always had turbaned Tuaregs going as far as Lagos and Port Harcourt to work as Maigadis (security) during the dry months, only to return back north during the rainy season. The weaponisation of sub-Saharan migration in Europe as a political tool led to the securitisation of the Sahel region, further exacerbating the security situation by forcing many of those affected to turn to criminal activities and terrorism. European migration figures show majority of migrants are from Syria, Afghanistan and Central Asia, not sub-Saharan Africa.

Yes, we need to work with our Sahelian neighbours to fight terrorism, by maintaining a right of pursuit into each others territories. But it would be myopic to think of this in absolutist terms, because we can accede to all conditionalities laid by them, it would still not be enough to tackle the challenges without a lasting solution to the bifurcated Libyan State as a source of weapons, training and fighters, as well as the shadowy involvement of a range of other state and non-state actors.

To achieve a lasting peace in Libya and the Sahel, Nigeria needs to deal with all the countries in the neighbourhood as well as all the major powers. For this reason, it does not make sense to simply deduce that Nigeria has to distance itself from France because that is the prevailing trend in its former colonies. The fulcrum of the Tinubu administration’s foreign policy is Strategic Autonomy, providing us with the clarity to engage with any and all nations based on our national interests and not those of others. As a nation, Nigeria is adult enough and sophisticated enough to deal with countries without being unduly influenced, because that has been part of our historical and civic tradition. You cannot cure an illness by picking which symptoms to consider and which to ignore.

Nigeria and ECOWAS will continue diplomatic efforts towards Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso. At a minimum, we have shared interest in peaceful co-existence. President Tinubu has sent a number of high-level delegations that included a former Head of State, traditional rulers and religious scholars. President Tinubu pushed for the unconditional removal of ECOWAS sanctions imposed on Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso. What he has consistently asked of the countries in question is for them to come up with a timetable for the restoration of constitutional rule and, in the case of Niger, the release of ousted President Bazoum.

Their response was to declare their intention to leave ECOWAS. With the one-year notice period coming to an end in January 2025, President Tinubu further pushed for ECOWAS to extend the grace period for another six months whilst intensifying diplomatic efforts. The response to this initiative last month was evidence-free allegations that Nigeria was harbouring foreign soldiers and as sponsoring state terrorism. Whenever President Tinubu and other democratic leaders offer stoic statesmanship and an opportunity to work together towards our common interests, it is met by confected controversy designed to divert and distract from a failure to meet the basic responsibilities of public administration. I know why coup leaders might seek to do that: it’s harder to understand the motives of apologists closer to home.

On my part, since assuming the office of Minister of Foreign Affairs on 21st August 2023, I have engaged diplomatically without pause, proposing personal visits and inviting senior government officials and representatives. Response has been akin to a diplomatic cold shoulder. We constituted a ministerial advisory committee that visited Niger and Mali and facilitated the visit of the Nigerian CDS to meet with his counterpart in Niamey. I regret that a proposed return visit was suspended by Niger after a date had been set. But let there be no doubt: we will continue to pursue diplomatic efforts assiduously, with a Ministry of Foreign Affairs that has existed for 67 years.

Nigeria’s principle of strategic autonomy is one that abhors the presence of foreign forces and private military companies in our region, whether from east or west. Nigeria presently has troops on peace keeping operations in Guinea Bissau and Gambia, with Sierra Leone on the way, where it is also supporting the setting up of a logistics base in Lungi. Nigeria is also leading the actualisation of the ECOWAS standby force, all in an effort to fight terrorism and instability within our region under the rule of law. We work closely with our partners on sharing of intelligence in order to guarantee the same rights and freedoms are enjoyed by all the people of the region.

As several of my colleagues in the region remind me, we are the hegemon, whether we admit it or not. And global politics works almost like physics, with polarity, ordering principles, distribution of power, balancing, etc. Nigeria has never had expansionist tendencies, never been threatening towards our neighbours and always chosen the path of peace and conciliation. This in part may have to do with the makeup of our polity and social fabric. Being such a huge country, we are used to the virtues of principled compromise. It is not by accident that we are the only country on the continent with six former leaders living in peace and harmony within our borders. Diversity, not division, is our strength. This is as true for Nigeria as it is for the smallest of countries – and collectively for all of our region.

FOREIGN POLICY AND THE PATH TO PEACE IN A DANGEROUS NEIGHBOURHOOD

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Nigeria’s North Poised for Transformation as New Analysis Shows Investing in Girls Could Yield Massive Returns

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December 12, 2025

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Nigeria’s North Poised for Transformation as New Analysis Shows Investing in Girls Could Yield Massive Returns

By: Michael Mike

A groundbreaking new policy brief has revealed that investing in adolescent girls in Northern Nigeria could deliver life-changing gains for young women and multibillion-dollar returns for the country.

The latest findings support what experts have long argued: that educating girls is not just a social imperative but one of the highest-yielding economic investments Nigeria can make.

According to the new analysis, scaling up proven programmes in Kano and Kaduna States with an investment of US$ 114 million over four years would reach 1.1 million adolescent girls and generates 3.9 million additional years of schooling averts 327,000 child marriages, prevents 383,000 adolescent pregnancies, saves 3,651 adolescent mothers’ lives, reduces 35,675 under-five deaths and delivers an astonishing 21-to-1 return on investment, valued at $2.5 billion

Policymakers are calling the findings a “wake-up call” for national and state governments and an opportunity Nigeria cannot afford to miss.

Despite progress in some parts of the country, millions of Nigerian girls especially in the North still face interrupted education. More than 7.6 million girls are out of school, half of them in the Northwest and Northeast. And while the national secondary school completion rate hovers at 34%, it is just 28% in the Northwest.

The consequences are immediate and generational. Girls without schooling face earlier marriage (median age 16.6 with no education vs. 21.7 for those completing secondary school), higher risk of intimate partner violence, reduced decision-making power Increased risk of maternal complications and death, a greater likelihood of having stunted or malnourished children

Unfortunately, these outcomes reverberate through communities, reinforcing cycles of poverty, poor health, and limited opportunity.

But fortunately, Northern Nigeria is not starting from scratch. The Centre for Girls’ Education (CGE) in Kaduna has spent over a decade pioneering targeted, evidence-backed models that are now informing national policy.

The Executive Director of the Centre for Girls’ Education (CGE), Habiba Mohammed, delivered an urgent call for Nigeria to expand opportunities for every girl—whether in school, out of school, married, young, or facing barriers to further education.

She said educating girls is the foundation for safer communities, stronger families, and a more prosperous nation.

Speaking to policymakers, development partners, teachers, and community members, Mohammed outlined CGE’s comprehensive approach to supporting girls aged 4 to 24, emphasizing that the organization “works with girls at every stage” from preschoolers to married adolescents, from girls seeking vocational skills to those aiming for careers in STEM.

CGE’s model blends literacy, numeracy, life skills, vocational training, and mentorship in safe spaces across communities and schools.

She said: “We train teachers to become mentors. This gives us ripple effects indirect beneficiaries who carry forward the skills and knowledge.”

The organisation works hand-in-hand with community leaders, religious leaders, parents, husbands of married adolescents, school heads, and government officials, ensuring interventions align with local realities.

CGE also collaborates closely with local government education authorities to secure school placements for girls returning to the classroom and to ensure smooth transitions from one level of schooling to the next.

“We don’t want a situation where girls drop out. When girls learn, the possibility of them being retained in school is very high,” she said.

Mohammed highlighted the story of Sakina, a CGE beneficiary who used her voice to spark policy change.

During an advocacy visit supported by the Malala Fund, Sakina told the former governor of Kaduna State:

“I have achieved something, but I have sisters out there who need the same opportunity. School fees are stopping many girls.”

Her plea moved the governor to scrap school fees for all children girls and boys from primary through senior secondary school. The reform became reality, opening classrooms to thousands of learners.

“The voice of the girl was powerful,” Mohammed said. “When we get the right stakeholders, no girl will be left behind.”At CGE, girls are not passive recipients they are activists.

“We believe in the slogan: nothing for us without us,” Mohammed said. “We train our girls to use their voices to speak to policymakers.”

Girls supported by CGE appear on radio and TV, advocate in Hausa and English, and speak publicly about why they want education and why it is a fundamental right.

Addressing the barriers faced by married adolescents, Mohammed shared her own story of completing university while raising three children:

“I was eight months pregnant with my first child when I started university… and before I graduated, I had three children. It did not stop me.”

She stressed that married girls can thrive academically if given supportive environments including child care options, mentorship, and encouragement from family members.

“Our mothers-in-law, co-wives, and extended families can help us continue,” she said. “The issue is understanding not control.”

According to her, girls trained in CGE safe spaces develop the life skills to navigate complex family dynamics. “When you see them, everybody wants to be like them.”

Security threats from community clashes to insurgency remain a challenge. While CGE cannot enforce security, Mohammed said community partnerships are critical.

“Our focal persons inform us immediately if there is a conflict. The safety of mentors, staff, and girls is a priority.”

Communities themselves provide protection and ensure that programmes continue when conditions are safe.

Mohammed urged state governments to develop concrete policies that allow girls who married early or became pregnant to return to school seamlessly.

“Every girl who wants to go back to school should find the door open,” she said.

She pointed to CGE research showing that transition from primary to secondary school was once only 4% in programme communities. But after just one year of life skills intervention, 82% of girls re-enrolled.

“This shows what can happen when girls gain confidence and support,” she said. “Now it is the responsibility of government to create space for every girl.”

“Issues of early marriage will be history. Issues of girls not going to school will be history. Issues of gender-based violence, Boko Haram, kidnapping all will be history in Nigeria. The only thing we need is to educate the girl child.”

Mohammed emphasized that the goal is not to position education against marriage, but to ensure that girls enter both on their own terms, prepared, informed, and empowered.

“Marriage does not stop education, and education does not stop marriage”

Mohammed challenged the widespread belief that schooling and marriage are mutually exclusive for girls in Northern Nigeria. Instead, she argued that girls should marry “at an appropriate age, when she is ready”and that readiness is most often achieved when they complete secondary education.

“For us, it is not the age, it is the maturity,” she said. “If a girl is able to marry after completion of secondary school, she is ready.”

“A girl who is able to go through a life skills component… will understand that she has a voice. She can use her voice,” she said.

According to her, stigma loses its power when girls develop self-confidence and resilience. “Even if it is there, it will not stop her from achieving her goals.”

CGE’s life skills curriculum includes lessons on self-esteem, communication, goal setting, and managing emotional and psychological challenges such as trauma from gender based violence.

Mohammed also discussed CGE’s innovative approach to literacy, supported by the Jolie-Phoenix phonics component, which transforms learning into an interactive, fun experience.

“It is a fun way of learning. The participants learn between songs,” she explained.

She noted that the approach has yielded success, particularly for girls who previously struggled with literacy, stating that phonics-based lessons enable girls to read and write, adding that local -language numeracy makes mathematics easier to grasp, being able to read signs in hospitals, on the road, or at school motivates girls to stay in school; peer learning allows fast learners to support slower learners, strengthening community bonds and accelerating progress.

Mohammed said: “In Hausa, they want to see the end of that education,” describing the sense of achievement girls feel when they can read independently.

She noted that effective teacher training is absolutely critical and that “no teacher is untrainable.”

From her experience recruiting mentors from public schools, she recounted how educators who initially struggled quickly transformed with the right training:

CGE’s life skills curriculum also includes modules to support survivors of rape, domestic abuse, and other forms of gender-based violence. These sessions help girls rebuild emotional strength and regain control of their lives.

“They can be able to do better with their emotions,” habiba explained. “They can be able to help themselves out of the situation they found themselves in.”

She appeal for collaboration among government agencies, civil society, donors, teachers, traditional leaders, and parents.

“If we put our hands and heads together, not working in silos… we will be able to reach where we want to go about girls’ education,” she said.

CGE’s model continues to demonstrate that when girls are nurtured academically, emotionally, and socially, they thrive regardless of the stigma or barriers around them.

Nigeria’s North Poised for Transformation as New Analysis Shows Investing in Girls Could Yield Massive Returns

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Lincoln University, Kumo launches admission portal, pledges commitment to quality education

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2 hours ago

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December 12, 2025

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Lincoln University, Kumo launches admission portal, pledges commitment to quality education

Prof. Adamu Sadiq Abubakar, the Vice Chancellor of Lincoln University Kumo, the first foreign university in Nigeria, licensed by the National Universities Commission (NUC) has opened its admission portal for the enrolment of students for the 2025/2026 academic session.

Abubakar, who made the announcement at a news conference at the school premises in Kumo, Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State, described the development as a significant milestone, noting that Lincoln University Kumo is the first institution to operate in Nigeria under the Transnational Education (TNE) model.

He said applications could be completed through the university’s portal, after which qualified applicants will receive admission within five working days and upon graduation, students would earn foreign-certified degrees while studying locally in Nigeria.

According to him, the institution was established through a public-private partnership between the Gombe State Government and Lincoln University Malaysia.
“The university currently operates three faculties Medicine and Allied Health Sciences; Sciences and Computing; and Management and Social Sciences—with programmes including Medicine (MD/MBBS), Nursing, Public Health, Community Health, Radiography and Medical Imaging, Health Information Management, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Biomedical Science, IT, Cybersecurity, Business Administration, Accounting, Oil and Gas Management, and Mass Communication,’’the Vice Chancellor said.

Abubakar lauded Gov. Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State for providing the enabling environment that facilitated the smooth take-off of the institution.

Speaking via Zoom, the President and Founder of Lincoln University College Malaysia, Professor Amiya Bhaumik, described the launch of admissions as a historic moment for the university.
Bhaumik assured that the quality of education delivered in Kumo would match what students receive at the university’s headquarters in Malaysia.

He said the university was founded on the belief that everyone has a right to quality education and expressed gratitude to the Gombe State Government for its support.

The institution’s President added that Lincoln University’s programmes were globally recognised, enabling graduates to compete internationally and pursue global entrepreneurship, stressing that Lincoln trains students to become job creators rather than job seekers.

Also speaking, the Vice President and CEO of Lincoln University Nigeria, Dr. Murtadho Alao, highlighted the university’s global rankings and accreditation by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency, Times Higher Education, and QS World Rankings.
He said the TNE model offered Nigerians an affordable alternative to foreign education while still earning an internationally recognised degree.

Alao explained that tuition fees range from ₦100,000 to ₦150,000 per semester, with scholarships of at least 50% for all Nigerians and up to 60% for Gombe indigenes.
He said the institution’s curriculum integrates Practical Class Assessment (PCA) and Practical Skill Application (PSA) to equip students with employability and entrepreneurial skills.

Lincoln University Kumo announced that it will run up to two admission intakes annually and reaffirmed its commitment to expanding access to quality education and building a generation of graduates capable of driving innovation, entrepreneurship, and socio-economic development in Nigeria.

Lincoln University, Kumo launches admission portal, pledges commitment to quality education

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NHRC Gives Human Rights Media Award to ThisDay Correspondent

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4 hours ago

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December 12, 2025

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NHRC Gives Human Rights Media Award to ThisDay Correspondent

By: Michael Mike

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has given ThisDay correspondent, Michael Olugbode its 2025 Human Rights Media Award.

Also awarded in a special recognition marking its 30th Anniversary are

Falmata Daniel of Premium Times and Emeka Amafor of TV 360. UNHCR and Dorothy Njemanze Foundation were also awarded for their contributions to human rights.

In a citation, Michael Olugbode was described as “a veteran Nigerian journalist whose career spans more than twenty-five years of dedicated service, distinguished reportage, and unwavering commitment to truth and public accountability. A graduate of Business Administration, he began his professional journey with the Nigerian Tribune, where he was employed as a business correspondent.

“His career took a defining turn when he joined ThisDay Newspaper, one of Nigeria’s leading national dailies. Michael was posted to Maiduguri at a time when the Boko Haram insurgency was intensifying, and it was there that he produced some of his most impactful work.

“He covered the insurgency and its devastating humanitarian consequences with rare courage and empathy, bringing national and international attention to the plight of affected communities.

“Following the relative easing of the crisis, Michael was redeployed to Abuja, where he now covers major beats including Foreign Affairs, the Interior Ministry, and several strategic agencies and parastatals. Among these is the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), where he has distinguished himself as one of the Commission’s most consistent and accurate chroniclers. His reportage on human rights issues is marked by depth, clarity, and an unwavering commitment to factual accuracy.

“Michael is widely respected for his professionalism, consistency, and ethical approach to journalism.

“He is known for syndicating NHRC stories across multiple platforms, ensuring wide visibility and public engagement. His dedication to promptly delivering credible reports, as well as his habit of ensuring his beat is fully covered even in his absence, reflect his exceptional work ethic and sense of responsibility.

A hardworking and principled journalist, Michael Olugbode has contributed immensely to strengthening public awareness on governance, humanitarian issues, institutional accountability, and human rights in Nigeria.”

Michael Olugbode was also described as one of Nigeria’s most respected journalists.

In his speech, the Executive Secretary of NHRC, Tony Ojukwu at the occasion commemorating its 30th anniversary and 2025 International Human Rights Day, said:

“As Nigeria’s National Human Rights Institution, we recommit ourselves today to the mandate that has guided us for 30 years to protect, promote, and enforce the rights of all persons in Nigeria.

“This Year’s event is a special one. It commemorates the 30th anniversary of Nigeria’s National Human Rights Institution. Hence, we proudly celebrate 30 years of service to humanity since our establishment in 1995.”

He explained that International Human Rights Day is celebrated every year on 10 December to commemorate the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the UN General Assembly in 1948.

He added that it serves as a global call to action to uphold everyone’s fundamental rights, dignity, and freedom from discrimination.

This year’s International Human Rights Day is themed ‘Human Rights, Our Everyday Essentials’.

According to the United Nations, the theme is necessary to re-emphasise the values of human rights as a unifying solution to the challenging and uncertain times.

NHRC Gives Human Rights Media Award to ThisDay Correspondent

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