By Sulyman Gobir
The National Boundary Commission (NBC) has called for stronger collaboration among African governments and other key stakeholders to address rising security and governance challenges across the continent’s borderlands.
The Director-General of the NBC, Adamu Adaji, made the call at the opening of the 2026 International Conference of the African Borderlands Research Network (ABORNE) in Lagos.
According to a statement issued by the NBC spokesperson, Chinwe Udouwem, the conference is being held from August 24 to 28 under the theme, “The Connected Borderlands, Socio-Cultural Integration, and the Centrality of Policy, Research, and Security.”
Adaji described borderlands as strategic areas for interaction, cooperation and economic opportunities, while noting that they could also become centres of contestation if not properly managed.
He stressed that effective border management requires more than physical infrastructure and security measures, arguing that it must be supported by sound research and evidence-based policies.
According to him, the increasing intersection of security, trade, migration, environmental sustainability, identity, citizenship and regional integration makes research-driven border governance essential.
“The effective management of these borders requires not only physical infrastructure and security measures but also informed policies grounded in rigorous research and evidence-based analysis,” he said.
The NBC, a major partner of the conference, also took part in a plenary roundtable titled “Frontiers: Border Demarcation, Maritime Governance and Cross-Border Cooperation in a Changing Security Landscape.”
The session featured Adaji; the Director of Maritime Boundaries at the NBC, Nurudeen Abba; Head of Cross-Border Cooperation, Dr Farouk Tarfa; and the Force Commander, Multi-National Maritime Task Force in the Gulf of Guinea, Commodore M. S. Shettima. The discussion was moderated by Dr Willie Eselebor of ABORNE.
Participants examined issues surrounding boundary delimitation, transboundary security and maritime governance, with particular focus on terrorism, banditry, arms trafficking, irregular migration, smuggling and maritime insecurity.
Adaji said the scale and complexity of these challenges demanded closer coordination among governments, researchers, border communities and development partners.
“Sustainable solutions to border challenges require strong collaboration between governments, academia, border communities and development partners,” he said.
He also urged African countries to move beyond the traditional approach of viewing borders primarily as instruments of territorial control.
“The challenge before us therefore is not merely how to secure borders, but how to govern them in ways that balance sovereignty with cooperation, security with mobility, and national interests with regional aspirations,” he said.
Established in 2007, ABORNE is an interdisciplinary research network focused on international borders, borderlands and transboundary issues across Africa. The network also promotes policy engagement on border and borderland matters.
