President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has firmly rejected the use of private military contractors in Africa’s counter-terrorism efforts, advocating instead for peace and security initiatives that are co-created and led by Africans.
The President’s declaration came during the first plenary session on Peace, Security, Governance and Multilateralism at the 7th African Union–European Union Summit in Luanda, Angola, on Monday.
Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, President Tinubu used the platform to outline a vision for a reformed global security architecture and to highlight Nigeria’s recent successes in combating insurgency through a combination of kinetic and non-kinetic measures.
“We stand resolutely against the use of private military and security companies (PMCs) in African conflicts, as their presence often complicates resolution efforts and undermines state sovereignty,” President Tinubu stated unequivocally.
He positioned this stance within a broader call for African autonomy, insisting that external initiatives, no matter how well-intentioned, fail without strong regional ownership.
“Peace and security initiatives must therefore be co-created with African partners and anchored in African-led frameworks,” he told the assembly of European and African leaders.
To underscore the effectiveness of African-led solutions, President Tinubu revealed that “over 250,000 Boko Haram-affiliated individuals,” including fighters and their families, had surrendered in early 2025 as a direct result of the Nigerian government’s strategies. He pointed to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in the Lake Chad Basin as an “effective model of African-led cooperative security.”
Linking regional stability to global governance, the Nigerian leader intensified the continent’s long-standing demand for a permanent seat at the world’s highest security table.
“It is time for Africa to occupy permanent seats on the UN Security Council, with all attendant privileges, including the veto,” he declared. He called for genuine, text-based negotiations to begin and expressed hope that EU Member States would support what he termed Africa’s “legitimate call for reform of the United Nations.”
The President also addressed the complex issue of irregular migration, advising European partners against a purely security-focused approach. He argued that criminalizing mobility has “only compounded insecurity” and proposed structured labour pathways as a solution, where Nigeria’s “highly skilled youthful population can contribute to Europe’s labour needs without resorting to irregular migration.”
On democratic governance, President Tinubu condemned the resurgence of Unconstitutional Changes of Government (UCGs) in Africa and announced that Nigeria and its neighbours had initiated the “Regional Partnership for Democracy (RPD).” This initiative aims to strengthen constitutional order, counter extremist narratives, and support governance reforms across West Africa.
He also called for continued international engagement in Sudan and South Sudan, stressing that external actors fuelling the conflict in Sudan “must be held accountable.”
Reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to continental leadership, President Tinubu concluded that the country is “more prepared than ever to work with the European Union to build a more stable, just, and prosperous world.”
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