The Federal Government has called on the African Union (AU) to intensify efforts to curb illicit financial flows, warning that the growing threat of terrorism and violent extremism across Africa is being sustained by illegal funding.

Nigeria also reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening regional and international partnerships aimed at combating terrorism and violent extremism.

In a statement issued by the Minister of Foreign Affairs’ media aide, Magnus Eze, the government said the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, made the call during the 1354th Ministerial Meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council, held virtually on Tuesday.

The meeting was chaired by Uganda’s Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairperson of the AU Peace and Security Council for July 2026, Haruna Kasolo.

Speaking at the meeting, Odumegwu-Ojukwu identified illicit financing as one of the biggest obstacles to defeating terrorism in Africa, saying it enables extremist groups to recruit young people and acquire sophisticated weapons.

“A major obstacle to progress in the fight against terrorism in Africa is access to illicit funds. It facilitates the recruitment of youths and the procurement of lethal weapons by terrorist groups. We call on the Peace and Security Council to strengthen international cooperation in preventing, tracing, recovering and returning proceeds of illicit financial flows from safe havens to their countries of origin,” she said.

The minister noted that terrorist organisations across the continent have become increasingly resilient, adopting commercially available technologies such as drones and advanced digital platforms while financing their operations through kidnapping for ransom and illegal mining activities.

She reiterated Nigeria’s condemnation of terrorism and violent extremism in all forms, expressing solidarity with victims and commending the sacrifices of security personnel engaged in counter-terrorism operations across Africa.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu also warned that the spread of terrorism in West Africa has been used by military regimes as justification for unconstitutional takeovers of democratically elected governments.

She urged African leaders to translate into action the commitments made during the 2022 AU Extraordinary Summit on Counter-Terrorism in Malabo and the 2024 High-Level African Counter-Terrorism Meeting held in Abuja.

The minister cautioned against portraying Africa as the global epicentre of terrorism, arguing that such narratives could lead to the unfair profiling and mistreatment of innocent Africans at international airports and other destinations.

Highlighting Nigeria’s counter-terrorism strategy, she said the country has adopted a comprehensive approach that combines military operations with non-military interventions.

According to her, sustained security operations have significantly weakened the operational capacity of Boko Haram and ISWAP while restoring government authority in many affected communities.

She added that the government is targeting terrorist financiers, rehabilitating and reintegrating repentant ex-combatants, and addressing the root causes of extremism through investments in education, infrastructure, youth empowerment and community resilience.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu said Nigeria is also working closely with neighbouring countries through the ECOWAS Regional Counter-Terrorism Strategy and the Early Warning and Response Network to strengthen intelligence sharing, border security and coordinated responses to security threats.

She described the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) as a model for regional cooperation in combating terrorism on the continent.

The minister further endorsed stronger intelligence-sharing among AU member states, efforts to dismantle terrorist financing networks, improved early warning systems, enhanced cybersecurity, and the development of continental guidelines for the responsible use of artificial intelligence in preventing and combating terrorism.

She also called on international partners to adopt a zero-tolerance approach to terrorism by preventing non-state actors from acquiring arms, drones, dual-use technologies and other sophisticated weapons, while taking stronger measures to curb the illicit trade that fuels terrorist activities across Africa.