The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that Nigeria has assumed leadership of the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) for May 2026.
The development marks Nigeria’s return to the leadership of the 15-member body for the first time since December 2022, according to the ministry.
In a statement on Friday, the ministry said Nigeria’s long-standing presence on the Council positions it to provide institutional memory and experienced leadership during its tenure.
Nigeria is the only AU member state to have served continuously since its establishment in 2004.
According to the ministry, Nigeria is expected to steer deliberations on a range of pressing security and governance issues affecting the continent throughout May.
However, particular attention would be paid to West Africa and the Sahel.
“Some of the issues that will be considered include: the impact of Climate Change on the crisis in the Lake Chad Basin and Sahel regions; African strategies for combating Transnational Organised Crime in Africa,” the ministry stated.
It also said that the Council will also consider the draft five-year AU Continental Counter-Terrorism Strategic Plan of Action, alongside measures aimed at strengthening collective security frameworks such as the African Standby Force.
Also, the “Operationalisation of the Combined Maritime Task Force in addressing Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea” will feature prominently in discussions.
The PSC is one of the AU’s principal organs for conflict prevention, management and resolution.
It is made up of 15 member states elected by the AU Executive Council and endorsed by the Assembly.
Members serve either two- or three-year terms, reflecting regional representation across the continent.
Current members of the Council include Nigeria, Benin, Gabon, Algeria, Lesotho, Morocco, Somalia, South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Ethiopia, Cameroon and Eswatini.
Leadership of the Peace and Security Council is rotated monthly among its member states.
The chair rotates following the alphabetical order of the Council’s member countries.
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A core function of the African Union is the promotion of peace, security and stability across the continent through conflict prevention, management and resolution mechanisms.
The AU has a broader peace and security architecture aside from the PSC. There is the African Standby Force (ASF), a rapid-deployment arrangement composed of regional brigades, and the Panel of the Wise, an advisory body that supports mediation and conflict prevention through diplomacy.
The AU also has the Continental Early Warning System (CEWS), which monitors and analyses potential conflict situations.
There is also the Peace and Security Department, which provides administrative, technical, and strategic support for the planning and implementation of peace and security initiatives.