Nigeria urges OIC to address African security and development

Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), emphasizing the need for the organization to transition from diplomatic solidarity to measurable development outcomes. During the 23rd Extraordinary Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye urged the OIC to address critical security and development challenges in Africa.

Specifically, Enikanolaiye called for increased attention to the Sahel and the Lake Chad Basin, regions currently facing terrorism, humanitarian crises, and economic hardship. He advocated for stronger collaboration between the OIC and the African Union to tackle issues including counter-terrorism, food and energy security, climate change, and infrastructure development.

To facilitate this, Nigeria proposed the establishment of a Nigeria-OIC Working Group on Humanitarian Affairs. This initiative aims to strengthen regional responses to insecurity and humanitarian needs. The minister noted that Nigeria’s engagement aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s 4-D foreign policy doctrine, which focuses on Demography, Development, Diaspora, and Democracy.