IEP Founder Advocates for Data-Driven Peace in West Africa

On Monday, Mr. Steve Killelea, the founder of the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), held a high-level meeting with the Conflict Research Network (CORN) West Africa in Abuja.

The aim was to strengthen collaboration in peace research and data systems within Nigeria and the broader region. The meeting included key stakeholders such as Mr.

Roi Nwafor, team lead of CORN, Prof. Ukiwo Ukoha, Mr.

Obinna Chukwuezi, and Ms. Lara Raji.

Discussions centered on establishing a positive peace framework and generating local data to better support policy decisions and advocacy efforts, particularly in Nigeria and the Sahel. Mr.

Killelea emphasized the connection between peace and economic development, noting that countries investing in peace systems tend to experience stronger growth. The meeting also explored the relevance of the NPAID initiative, which aims to track patterns of violent conflict and resilience.

Ms. Raji highlighted the development of a peace web platform to document peace initiatives across communities, providing real-time insights to complement the Global Peace Index.