The Nigerian government has thrown its weight behind ongoing efforts to reform the African Union (AU), emphasising the need to make the continental body more vibrant, viable, and responsive to the needs of its member states in an increasingly complex global landscape.
In a statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, Nigerian President spokesperson, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose position was conveyed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, during deliberations on the AU reforms report, praised Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Kenyan President William Ruto for their leadership in driving the reform agenda.
Nigeria has fully endorsed several key proposals, including the establishment of a Heads of State and Government Oversight Committee for AU reforms, which would be led by President Ruto. Additionally, President Tinubu’s administration supported the recommendation to streamline the AU Summit agenda, limiting it to no more than three strategic items to ensure more focused deliberations.
However, Nigeria took a firm stance against a proposal to restructure the Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS), currently led by Nigerian diplomat Ambassador Bankole Adeoye.
The Nigerian government rejected the idea of creating a new department from the existing structure, warning that such a move would result in unnecessary expenditures and potentially destabilise the AU’s political affairs and peace processes.
“We do not support the proposal to reconfigure the Department of Political Affairs, Peace, and Security. The current setup already includes a Peace Support Operations Directorate (SOD) within PAPS, and creating an independent peace operations directorate outside of this framework would be counterproductive,” President Tinubu stated through Ambassador Tuggar.
The Nigerian leader also stressed the importance of inclusiveness and transparency in the reform process, urging the AU to focus on implementing existing policies rather than pursuing sweeping changes without broad consensus.
“Instead of attempting to achieve consensus on all aspects of reform at once, we should focus on areas where agreement has already been reached. Implementing reforms in phases is a more pragmatic approach,” Tinubu emphasised.
Nigeria reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the AU reform process as long as it remains transparent, inclusive, and does not introduce unnecessary disruptions to the organization’s existing structures.
The deliberations took place during the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government, which concluded on Sunday.
With Nigeria’s firm backing for structured and measured reforms, the AU faces a pivotal moment in its evolution, balancing the need for change with the imperative of stability and efficiency in serving its member states.
