The summit was jointly hosted by Nigeria and the United Nations Office of Counter Terrorism (UNOCT) with the aim of strengthening regional security response and cooperation against acts of terror.

Hundreds of delegates from around Africa discussed anti-terrorism solutions on the continent during a high-level security summit that opened Monday in the Nigerian capital Abuja.

Africa has become the world’s epicentre of terrorism. According to the African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT), the continent witnessed an average of eight terror-related incidents and 44 daily casualties in 2023. The toll included 7,000 civilians and 4,000 military personnel killed in attacks.

The two-day counterterrorism summit was jointly hosted by Nigeria and the United Nations Office of Counter Terrorism (UNOCT) to strengthen regional security response and cooperation against acts of terror.

Nigeria’s security adviser and organiser of the summit Nuhu Ribadu emphasised the urgent need to combat terrorism in Africa. He highlighted the diverse threats posed by terrorist groups and stressed the importance of integrated security strategies.

“These groups exploit local vulnerabilities and contribute to ongoing instability, necessitating integrated security strategies that combine military, economic, and regional cooperation efforts,” he said.

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, has for the past 15 years battled a spate of violent attacks from insurgent groups that have entrenched their strongholds across swathes of Africa’s troubled Sahel region, leaving thousands dead.

Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the chair of the West African regional bloc ECOWAS, said during remarks that African leaders must “fight this threat together, combining determined national effort with well-tailored and regional and international collaboration."

Tinubu urged the proper establishment and strengthening of a regional standby military force. He said that the force, initially proposed in response to the July 2023 coup in Niger, would act as a deterrent against large-scale terrorist operations.

Terrorism and violent extremism are spreading at an alarming rate in Africa. According to a new study by the African Centre for Strategic Studies, acts of terror increased by more than 100,000%  in the last two decades despite local and foreign intervention.

The report says more than 23,000 people were killed in Africa last year – a 20% increase compared to 2022.

Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo said during the summit that fighting terrorism goes beyond a country’s borders.

“The evolving nature of terrorism demands a dynamic and coordinated response that transcends national borders and individual efforts,” he said. “These groups are exploiting grievances and vulnerabilities and are manipulating ideologies to spread fear, division, and chaos. We recognise the urgent need to combat this menace that continues to threaten the peace, security, and development of our continent.”

Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe underscored the critical need for cooperation among states and defence and security forces to effectively address security threats.

Acts of terror in Africa are largely concentrated in the Sahel, Somalia, the Lake Chad basin, North Africa, and Mozambique.

Leaders from Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso were absent from the summit due to coup-related sanctions imposed by ECOWAS and the African Union.

Critics say for counterterrorism measures to be truly successful every country must be involved.