President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has praised the Nigerian armed forces for their sacrifices in the fight against insurgency and criminality, while stressing the need to confront the underlying causes of insecurity through economic and institutional reforms.
Speaking during the plenary session on Peace and Stability at the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama on Wednesday, the President said Nigeria’s strength lies in its diversity, inclusivity, and adherence to the rule of law.
“Nigeria’s brave armed forces can win any number of battles, but we do justice to their heroism only when we, as government, are courageous in tackling not just terror, but also the underlying causes,” President Tinubu declared.
The Nigerian leader emphasized that investments in infrastructure, reforms, and collaboration with civil society are crucial to improving citizens’ living standards.
He also pointed to recent peace initiatives in Congo as proof that mediation linked to economic considerations could resolve long-standing conflicts.
“We should be under no illusions about the scale of our task. But neither should we underestimate the successes we have had,” Tinubu said.
“We have learned that our brave armed forces can win many battles. But we can do justice to their heroism and sacrifice only when we, as governments, display the courage to be tough, not only on terror, but on the causes of terror.”
On global governance, Tinubu renewed Nigeria’s call for reforms at the United Nations, urging Japan and other partners to back Africa’s demand for greater representation on the UN Security Council.
“It is the view of Nigeria that Africa’s quest for fair and equitable representation in the UN Security Council is a just and fair demand,” the President said.
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“Indeed, Africa deserves two seats in the Permanent Category, with all its prerogatives and privileges, including the Right of Veto.”
Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, in his opening remarks, announced a new $5.5 billion collaborative framework with the African Development Bank to boost private sector-led growth across the continent.
“Japan is providing various cooperation and support for Africa. But first of all, Japan needs to know more about Africa. So, in creating solutions together, this co-creation at the TICAD 9, we focus on three important areas: private sector-led sustainable growth, youth and women, and regional integration,” Ishiba said.
He acknowledged Japan’s own demographic and agricultural challenges, appealing for closer Africa-Japan partnerships.
“In 75 years from now, the population of Japan would have been halved. All agricultural land is being reduced, another major challenge for Japan,” Ishiba noted.
“There is another potential in Africa; there is so much growing young population… but for the power of young people in Africa to flourish, you need to create a manufacturing industry and create employment.”
TICAD, launched by Japan in 1993, is co-hosted with the UN, UNDP, African Union Commission, and World Bank. The summit, held every three years, brings together African leaders and development partners to co-create solutions for the continent’s growth.