Nigeria's Rising Violence: Urgent Need for Peace-Building

In May 2026, Nigeria recorded 842 casualties and 279 kidnapping victims, alongside 156 violent incidents, marking a 51.5% increase in violent incidents and a 90.1% spike in kidnapping victims compared to May 2025. The Nigerian government and local communities are investing heavily in peace-building initiatives to counter the rising trend of violent conflict.

The concept of peace-building was popularized by Boutros Ghali, the former United Nations Secretary-General, in 1992. However, the shrinking global funding for development partners complicates the implementation of peace-building interventions.

Effective monitoring and evaluation (MEL) strategies are essential to ensure that funds are utilized properly and to measure the impact of peace-building efforts. The dynamic nature of peace-building requires robust MEL methodologies to capture the complexities of conflict indicators in Nigeria, especially in light of challenges such as climate change, misinformation, and economic hardship.