The Director-General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, has called for stronger collaboration between policymakers, religious leaders, and civil society actors in tackling Nigeria’s complex peace and security challenges.
He made the call at a validation workshop on the Monitoring and Evaluation Instrument for the Network of Policymakers and Religious Leaders to Support Peace, Security, and Reconciliation held on Tuesday in Abuja.
In his welcome remarks, Ochogwu described the workshop as a “culminating moment” in years of sustained dialogue and partnership, stressing that the gathering was not just symbolic but strategic in building a Nigeria where peace and reconciliation become lived realities.
He said: “This Network is a bold testament to collaboration a platform where faith-based and government institutions deliberate, decide, and implement strategies that address the critical issues affecting our country.”
The Network, established in 2022, brings together senior government officials, religious leaders from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), representatives of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, as well as security agencies and civil society organizations.
Its aim is to develop inclusive, evidence-based policies that respond to Nigeria’s security and reconciliation needs.
Ochogwu highlighted six key areas where peace and security intersect with daily life: economic security, food security, health and personal safety, environmental challenges, community trust-building, and political governance.
He emphasized that tackling poverty, inequality, and exclusion must remain central to addressing insecurity.
The Director-General further explained that the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) tool under review was not merely technical but a framework for “accountability, learning, and continuous improvement.” The instrument, he said, would ensure that resolutions made by the Network translate into measurable action rather than end in rhetoric.
The workshop is being organized in partnership with the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID) in Portugal and the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS).
The collaboration underscores the interfaith and interreligious dimension of the initiative, designed to strengthen Nigeria’s fragile peace landscape through structured dialogue.
Explaining the broader goal of the programme, DG noted that the Network seeks to bridge silos among stakeholders by creating an institutionalized mechanism for tracking progress.
“Your take-home here is that you are going to have a more strengthened, revived, and institutionalised network of people working within the peace, security, and reconciliation corridor in Nigeria,” he said.
With Nigeria continuing to grapple with insecurity, climate pressures, food shortages, and political tensions, participants expressed hope that the M&E framework will help track commitments, reinforce accountability, and foster a more coordinated response to national challenges.
Ochogwu however urged participants to approach the exercise with a deep sense of responsibility. “The path to peace is not easy, but with shared responsibility and collective action, it is always possible,” he said.
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