As Nigeria battles insurgency, banditry, communal violence, separatist agitations and other security threats, the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) has called for greater investment in peacebuilding, warning that lasting peace cannot be achieved through military action alone.
The institute made the call on Monday in Abuja as it inaugurated the Planning Committee for the 2026 International Day of Peace celebration, urging governments, development partners, civil society organisations, the private sector and communities to make peacebuilding a national priority.
Speaking at the inauguration, the Director-General of the IPCR, Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, said the 2026 global theme, “Invest in Peace—for Everyone, Everywhere, Everyday,” reflects the urgent need to move beyond rhetoric and commit resources to preventing conflicts, strengthening dialogue and promoting social cohesion.
He described peace as a strategic investment rather than a passive aspiration, stressing that sustainable development and national stability depend on deliberate efforts to build trust, strengthen institutions and address the root causes of conflict.
“Peace should not be viewed as a passive aspiration but as a strategic investment requiring the contributions of governments, civil society, development partners, academia, the media, youth, women, and traditional and religious leaders,” he said.
Ochogwu noted that Nigeria’s security landscape requires a whole-of-society approach, arguing that no single institution can tackle the country’s complex conflict dynamics alone.
He reaffirmed the institute’s commitment to advancing dialogue, conflict prevention, social cohesion and sustainable peace, noting that the 2026 International Day of Peace should serve as more than a ceremonial observance.
According to him, the commemoration should stimulate national conversations on peacebuilding, showcase practical solutions to conflict and reinforce Nigeria’s commitment to peaceful coexistence.
The Director-General charged members of the Planning Committee to deliver a programme that reflects the significance of the global theme while highlighting the institute’s contributions to research, policy development and peacebuilding.
He assured the committee of the management’s full support and expressed confidence that it would organise a memorable celebration that advances the institute’s mandate and contributes to global peace efforts.
The committee was subsequently inaugurated to begin preparations for the 2026 observance.
Nigeria continues to face multiple security challenges, including insurgency in the North-East, armed banditry and kidnapping in the North-West and North-Central, communal clashes, farmer-herder conflicts, piracy in parts of the Niger Delta, and violent extremism. Analysts have increasingly argued that while security operations remain necessary, long-term peace will depend on addressing poverty, unemployment, social exclusion, weak institutions and other drivers of conflict through sustained investment in peacebuilding.
Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1981, the International Day of Peace, observed annually on September 21, promotes global efforts to end conflict and foster dialogue, tolerance and reconciliation. For Nigeria, the annual event has become an important platform for mobilising government institutions, civil society, development partners and citizens around initiatives aimed at strengthening national unity, preventing violent conflict and supporting sustainable development.
Michael Olugbode
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