Nigeria’s drive to domesticate its national counter extremism framework is gathering momentum, with states and development partners intensifying efforts to translate policy into concrete action at the grassroots.
The push centres on the Policy Framework and National Action Plan on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism, as stakeholders seek to align national objectives with state realities to curb insecurity.
The initiative is being championed by the PCVE Knowledge Innovation and Resource Hub in collaboration with Nextier, SPRING, UK International Development, the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund and the National Counter Terrorism Centre.
At a virtual consultative forum on Wednesday, about 63 participants drawn from government institutions, civil society and state technical working groups deliberated on practical pathways to accelerate implementation.
Chairman of the PAVE Network, Jaye Gaskia, stressed the urgency of deepening stakeholder engagement, mobilising resources and strengthening institutional capacity across states.
He noted that while the framework provides a national guide, meaningful impact would only be achieved when states take ownership through adaptation and execution tailored to local contexts.
Speaking for the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Iye Mangset commended ongoing efforts and urged actors not to lose momentum in implementing the revised framework first introduced in 2017.
Other partners reinforced the need for continuity, with Yetunde Adegoke of GCERF warning against setbacks, while Ndubisi Nwokolo of Nextier advocated a shift towards preventive and development driven responses.
Field reports from states including Katsina, Kaduna, Kano and Kebbi indicated that technical structures are being established, though progress remains uneven.
Participants identified persistent bottlenecks such as weak coordination between federal and state actors, bureaucratic delays and limited awareness within government circles, even as calls grew for stronger political will, improved funding and a unified national and sub national response.