The African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) has been urged by President Bola Tinubu to give the creation of a unified maritime task force first priority in order to improve security in the Gulf of Guinea.
Nigeria’s readiness to host the task force’s headquarters in Lagos was stated by President Tinubu during the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU) Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Sunday.
President Tinubu expressed Nigeria’s stance in a statement released by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga on Sunday. Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, Minister of Foreign Affairs, delivered the statement on Tinubu’s behalf.
“The time has come for the African Union Peace and Security Council to prioritize the creation of a Combined Maritime Task Force for the Gulf of Guinea.
“I wish to announce that Nigeria would like to host the headquarters of the task force in Lagos.”
Nigeria’s proposal for maritime task force coincides with signing of an agreement with AU to provide Strategic Sea Lift Services for AU peace support operations, natural disaster support, humanitarian actions, and personnel movement.
Nigeria’s defense minister, Badaru Abubakar, signed the agreement, which states that the Nigerian Navy will supply a vessel for the operations on a cost-recovery basis.
The AU’s Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security, Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, signed on behalf of the organization.
President Tinubu was pleased that the Nigerian National Counter-Terrorism Center had already been upgraded to a Regional Counter-Terrorism Center by the AUPSC, which had endorsed the conclusions of a high-level conference.
Regarding Libya, the Nigerian leader urged the Assembly to support efforts to reestablish law and order, expressing worry that the instability in the North African nation had exacerbated Sahelian security issues.
Reiterating Nigeria’s support, President Tinubu praised the African Standby Force’s operationalization efforts.
He urged all AU member nations and delegations to exercise the required restraint and permit the adoption of the draft Memorandum of Understanding on the operationalization of the standby force.
President Tinubu also firmly backed the creation of an African-led credit rating agency (ACRA), pointing out that it will give African economies more equitable and transparent credit evaluations.
In order to advance an African framework for financing development among member states, President Tinubu praised the African Union (AU), the African Development Bank (AfDB), and the Specialized Technical Committee (STC) on Finance for their visionary leadership.
He said that the Africa Financing Stability Mechanism (AFSM) is essential given the continent’s ongoing challenges, which include rising borrowing costs, debt overhang, low domestic resource mobilization, and limited access to long-term affordable financing.
He also acknowledged the important decisions made at the 5th Extraordinary Session of the Specialized Technical Committee on Finance, which took place in Abuja, Nigeria, in November 2025.