Nigeria Advocates for Global Rules on Autonomous Weapons

The Federal Government of Nigeria has urged for legally binding international rules on autonomous weapons, citing the threat posed by terrorist organizations potentially acquiring advanced military technologies. Ambassador Martin Adamu, Nigeria’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, made this appeal during the sixth plenary meeting of the United Nations General Assembly’s First Committee on disarmament and international security.

He highlighted the decreasing costs and accessibility of autonomous weapons as new security risks. Adamu called for negotiations on a binding international instrument that would include explicit prohibitions and regulations for lethal autonomous weapons systems, stressing the importance of maintaining meaningful human control over military operations.

He also raised concerns about the integration of artificial intelligence in nuclear weapons systems and advocated for the early entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. Nigeria has submitted two draft resolutions on disarmament and illicit trafficking of small arms on behalf of ECOWAS member states, emphasizing the need for stronger international cooperation to combat arms trafficking and emerging weapons technologies.