FG Secures Permanent African Central Bank Board Seat at AU Summit
Nigeria has secured a permanent seat on the Board of the African Central Bank, following a decision reached during the 39th Session of the Executive Council of the African Union.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, who described the move as a major diplomatic and institutional milestone that reinforces Nigeria’s role in shaping Africa’s financial and economic architecture.
According to the ministry, the decision also extends Nigeria’s representation to the Board of the Technical Convergence Committee of the African Monetary Institute, a precursor institution to the African Central Bank. The government said the outcome reflects Nigeria’s technical capacity, economic weight, and commitment to advancing Africa’s monetary integration agenda.
The session also recorded progress in peace and security cooperation, with candidates jointly endorsed by the Economic Community of West African States successfully elected into the AU Peace and Security Council. Officials said the outcome highlights regional cohesion and collective commitment to stability across the continent.
In addition, Nigeria hosted a ministerial high-level panel discussion on regional partnerships for democracy on the sidelines of the summit. The event drew ministers, senior officials, and delegates from across Africa and the international community, focusing on strengthening democratic institutions, inclusive governance, and collaborative regional approaches to sustaining democratic values.
The Federal Government said Nigeria’s engagements at the summit reaffirm its commitment to the core objectives of the African Union, particularly economic integration, institutional development, peace, security, and democratic governance, while pledging continued collaboration with member states to advance shared prosperity and sustainable development across Africa.
READ ALSO Jilli Airstrike: Supporters Of Terrorists Will Be Treated As Bandits, Defence Minister Warns Defence Minister Christopher Musa has warned that supporters of terrorists would be treated as criminals. He said this on Monday as he reacted to the airstrike carried out by the Nigerian Air Force airstrike in Jilli, Borno State, over the weekend. Speaking after an expanded security meeting in Kaduna with the state governor and heads of security agencies, Musa said the operation sends a clear message to those collaborating with terrorist groups. He stressed that anyone found supporting insurgents would face the same consequences as the perpetrators. “A friend of a thief is a thief,” he said, warning civilians against associating with or providing any form of assistance to terrorists. Musa urged residents to steer clear of areas known to be used by insurgents, noting that proximity or collaboration could have grave consequences. The airstrike, carried out near the village of Jilli in Gubio Local Government Area, targeted what the military described as an ISWAP enclave and logistics hub. According to the Nigerian Air Force, the operation was intelligence-driven and aimed at neutralising terror elements and destroying their equipment. However, reports have emerged alleging that the strike may have affected a weekly market in the area, with civilians, including cross-border traders, reportedly among casualties. Musa, however, maintained that the strike should serve as a strong warning to those aiding insurgent activities, reaffirming the military’s resolve to intensify operations against terrorist networks. Air Component of Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI, conducted a precision air strike on a known terrorist enclave and logistics hub located near the abandoned village of Jilli in Gubio Local Government Area of Borno State. Giving an update on the airstrike, the Nigerian Army in a post on its official X handle said, “The successful strike, executed on 11 April 2026, followed sustained intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions over the Bindul–Jilli axis, an area long identified as a major terrorist movement corridor and convergence point for Islamic State West Africa Province terrorists and their collaborators.”
