The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution has urged the National Assembly to enact and strengthen laws that will promote social cohesion and conflict-sensitive governance in Nigeria.
The Director-General of the institute, Joseph Ochogwu, made the call on Wednesday in Abuja during a media briefing ahead of the 2026 International Day of Peace, which is observed annually on September 21.
Ochogwu also appealed to the Federal and state governments to give greater priority to peace-building in their budgets and policy decisions.
He urged security agencies to complement their conventional operations with non-kinetic and community-based approaches to resolving conflicts.
According to the IPCR boss, the International Day of Peace offers Nigerians an opportunity to reflect on the country’s security challenges and renew their commitment to peaceful coexistence.
He said, “Whatever the crisis, there should always be hope for peace.”
Ochogwu said this year’s theme, “Investing in Peace for Everyone, Everywhere and Every Day,” underscored the need to treat peace as a deliberate process that requires consistent investment rather than simply the absence of conflict.
He listed violent extremism, banditry, farmer-herder clashes, communal disputes, youth restiveness, competition over resources caused by climate change, misinformation and disinformation, as well as economic hardship among the issues threatening peace in the country.
The IPCR director-general described peace as a fundamental requirement for national development.
He said, “These challenges remind us that peace is our most critical infrastructure. Without peace, we cannot have food security. Without peace, we cannot have quality education. Without peace, we cannot have good health care.”
He added that sustained insecurity also makes it difficult for Nigeria to attract investment.
Ochogwu identified effective grassroots governance as an important tool for preventing and resolving conflicts, arguing that stronger local government institutions would help bring government closer to citizens and address grievances before they escalate.
He commended the Federal Government’s efforts towards local government autonomy but urged state governors and other sub-national authorities to strengthen the capacity of councils to perform their constitutional responsibilities.
“The local government system is the front line of any government in conflict management, conflict prevention and conflict resolution,” he said, describing the system as having been weakened over the years.
The IPCR chief further called for greater investment in young people through skills development, employment opportunities and the digital economy to reduce their vulnerability to crime and extremist recruitment.
He identified early warning and response mechanisms, dialogue platforms, community mediation centres, youth engagement hubs, stronger traditional institutions and psychosocial support as some of the peace infrastructure requiring sustained funding.
According to him, such mechanisms deserve the same level of attention given to other essential infrastructure.
Ochogwu stressed that building peace should not be left solely to government, urging the private sector, security agencies, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations, women and youth groups and the media to contribute to peace-building efforts.
He specifically appealed to lawmakers to strengthen legislation supporting social cohesion and conflict-sensitive governance, while asking security agencies to increase their use of community-centred approaches.
He said, “Peace is too important to be left alone in the hands of government.”
The IPCR also called on businesses to view investment in peace as essential to their survival and growth, noting that economic activities cannot thrive in an environment of persistent conflict.
Meanwhile, the institute announced a series of activities to commemorate the 2026 International Day of Peace.
The programme includes peace prayers at the National Mosque and National Christian Centre, a peace walk and a national peace lecture.
The lecture is titled, “Renewed Hope Agenda, Investing in Peace for Democratic Stability: Pathways to Justice and Inclusion Ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 General Elections.”
The activities will conclude with a football match at the Old Parade Ground in Abuja.
Ochogwu said the institute was implementing its 2024–2028 strategy, which focuses on knowledge, people and partnerships to strengthen Nigeria’s peace infrastructure.
He disclosed that more than 86 young Nigerians, including corps members and interns, had been trained as prospective peace-builders, while efforts were ongoing to integrate peace education into schools.
He added that the IPCR was expanding its zonal and state peace-building offices and strengthening community resilience through its conflict early-warning and early-response platform.
The director-general urged Nigerians to make peace part of their everyday conduct.
“Together, we can build a Nigeria where peace is not an event, but a way of life,” he said.
