Nigeria needs to devote greater resources to peacebuilding and conflict prevention because the cost of allowing conflicts to escalate is far higher than the investment required to prevent them, the Director-General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Joseph Ochogwu, has said.
Ochogwu made the call in Abuja while delivering a lecture titled “Investing in Peace: A Collective Responsibility for Everyone.” He argued that peace should not be treated merely as a political slogan but as an area requiring deliberate and sustained investment from government, the private sector, communities and individuals.
The IPCR's position comes against the background of Nigeria's continuing security and social challenges, including violent conflicts, displacement and tensions within communities. The institute's mandate covers conflict prevention, management and resolution, as well as research and policy advice on peace and security.
Ochogwu's argument centres on shifting greater attention towards preventing conflicts before they become major security crises. Rather than concentrating resources only after violence has already occurred, investment in dialogue, early warning, mediation and community-level peacebuilding can help identify tensions and address them before they become harder and more expensive to resolve.
The IPCR already operates a National Conflict Early Warning and Early Response System designed to identify indicators of potential conflict and provide information to relevant authorities and other stakeholders. The system works with national, state and community actors and is intended to strengthen the connection between early warnings and practical responses.
The call for greater investment therefore goes beyond simply increasing funding for security agencies. Effective peacebuilding can include mediation between communities, support for victims of conflict, public education, youth engagement, strengthening local institutions and addressing social and economic conditions that can contribute to instability.
There are already examples of such programmes within the government's current plans. An August 2026 procurement notice from the IPCR listed projects including capacity building for victims of insurgency in parts of Borno, programmes aimed at preventing election violence in Katsina and Yobe, and training designed to strengthen social cohesion and peacebuilding.
The emphasis on prevention is particularly relevant as Nigeria approaches another election cycle. Political competition can create tensions that, if poorly managed, may develop into violence. The IPCR's own responsibilities include promoting peaceful political succession and researching strategies for preventing election-related conflicts.
Peacebuilding, however, cannot be left entirely to government institutions. Emrah Ilgen, President of Ufuk Dialogue, who also spoke at the Abuja event, called for a whole-of-society approach in which communities, citizens and other stakeholders contribute to sustaining peace. He stressed the importance of dialogue, tolerance and responsible citizenship.
That broader approach is important because many conflicts are rooted in problems that cannot be solved through security operations alone. Disputes over land and resources, political disagreements, communal tensions, social exclusion and mistrust between groups can require negotiation and sustained community engagement even after immediate violence has stopped.
Nigeria's emerging national peace strategy is also moving towards stronger grassroots participation. In August, the Office for Strategic Preparedness and Resilience said it was working with the IPCR and other stakeholders to develop an inclusive national infrastructure for peace and resilience, with consultations involving communities, traditional institutions, women, youth groups, religious leaders, civil society and security and justice-sector actors.
The challenge will be ensuring that greater spending on peace translates into measurable results. Funding alone cannot prevent conflict if programmes are poorly designed, duplicated across agencies or disconnected from the communities they are intended to serve. Peacebuilding investments therefore need clear objectives, proper monitoring and evidence that interventions are reducing tensions and strengthening local resilience.
For Nigeria, the argument for investing in peace is ultimately an economic as well as a security question. Conflict can destroy homes and businesses, displace communities, disrupt education and agriculture, increase humanitarian needs and place additional pressure on security and public finances. Preventing avoidable violence can therefore protect both lives and resources.
Ochogwu's call is consequently not simply for government to spend more money. It is a call for Nigeria to treat conflict prevention as a long-term national investment rather than an activity that receives attention only after violence has begun.
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