Nigeria Takes Chair of AU Peace and Security Council

Nigeria has officially taken over the chairmanship of the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council for the month of May 2026. The announcement was made by Kimiebi Ebienfa, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja.

This is Nigeria's second time leading the council since it last held the position in December 2022. The AU Peace and Security Council, which consists of 15 member states elected by the AU Assembly to serve two to three-year terms based on regional representation, will see Nigeria addressing various thematic issues of interest, particularly in the West African and Sahel regions.

Key topics for discussion will include the impact of climate change, the crisis in the Lake Chad Basin, and strategies to combat transnational organized crime in Africa. Additionally, Nigeria will focus on operationalizing the African Standby Force and a combined maritime task force to address piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, among other initiatives.