Bingham university recently held its 2nd PICDA International Conference, with the theme “Climate Change, Insecurity, Terrorism and Crisis of Governance in Africa”

In remarks delivered at the opening, on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor of Bingham University, Prof. Haruna Kuje Ayuba, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Musa Dankyau, said the continent’s climate, security and governance challenges are deeply interconnected and continue to reinforce one another. He noted that climate change has become a driver of conflict through displacement and livelihood disruption, while corruption and weak institutions have limited effective responses. He urged experts and policymakers to pursue joint solutions that address environmental sustainability, security concerns and governance reforms together.

The Vice-Chancellor highlighted the growth of the Ambassador Bulus Lolo Centre, established about a year ago, noting that it has already hosted an earlier international conference and secured support from the Konrad Adenauer Foundation to strengthen staff capacity in diplomacy and conflict resolution.

Speaking, the Nasarawa State Governor, Engr. Abdullahi A. Sule, represented by the Senior Special Assistant on Christian Religious Matters, Venerable Jibrailu Yarima Dabong JP called on African leaders to urgently adopt coordinated climate-security strategies to address the growing link between climate change, insecurity, terrorism and weak governance across the continent.

The governor described climate change as a “threat multiplier,” noting that desert encroachment, shrinking rainfall and environmental degradation are fueling violent conflicts, particularly farmer-herder clashes across the Sahel and Nigeria’s Middle Belt. He explained that increasing scarcity of farmlands and grazing spaces has intensified competition for resources, often leading to violence and putting traditional conflict resolution systems under strain.

While reaffirming his administration’s commitment to security, he acknowledged that financial constraints have forced governments to focus resources on emergency responses, leaving less funding for education, healthcare and long-term development projects. He urged stakeholders to move beyond reactive approaches and integrate climate adaptation into security planning.

In the same vein, Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, called for stronger collaboration among African governments, scholars and institutions to tackle the growing link between climate stress, insecurity and governance challenges on the continent. The governor made the call in a goodwill message delivered on his behalf by Ms. Julie Sanda, Director General of the Plateau Peacebuilding Agency (PPBA). 

He noted that environmental degradation across Africa has moved beyond being a purely ecological issue, warning that it is now driving displacement, resource-based conflicts and economic fragility in many regions. He stressed that the situation demands bold and coordinated leadership, adding that the crises facing Africa have become deeply interconnected and require forward-looking strategies that promote stability, resilience and sustainable development.

Delivering the lead paper, former President of the United Nations General Assembly, Prof. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, warned that climate change is increasingly driving instability across Africa, worsening poverty and exposing the fragility of governance systems. Presenting a paper titled "The Climate–Insecurity–Governance Nexus in Africa: Evidence, Trends and Policy Implications,” Muhammad-Bande described Africa as one of the most climate-vulnerable regions despite contributing little to global emissions.

Muhammad-Bande cited the shrinking of Lake Chad reported to have lost about 90 per cent of its size since the 1960s as a major example of environmental decline worsening economic hardship and fueling tensions. He also highlighted increasing farmer-herder conflicts in the Sahel, where shrinking grazing lands have forced pastoralists into farmlands, sometimes creating disputes complicated by ethnic and religious divisions.

He argued that weak governance is often the deciding factor in whether climate stress escalates into insecurity. According to him, where governments fail to provide services or manage resources fairly, armed groups exploit grievances to recruit young people. He cited Boko Haram and ISWAP in the Lake Chad region, JNIM in Mali and Burkina Faso, Al-Shabaab in Somalia and the insurgency in Mozambique as examples of extremist groups expanding in fragile environments marked by poverty and state neglect.

He called on African governments to integrate climate adaptation into national security and development planning, strengthen transparency in natural resource management and invest in community-based resilience initiatives to reduce vulnerability to extremist recruitment. He also urged reforms in global climate finance systems to ensure African countries can access support without excessive conditions.

Earlier, the Director of the centre, Dr. Olushola John Magbadelo, described the conference as timely, saying Africa is facing overlapping crises that threaten peace and development. He said the event builds on the success of the maiden PICDA conference, which helped position the centre as a platform for research, dialogue and policy engagement. Magbadelo disclosed that nearly 70 research papers are expected to be presented during the conference, alongside specialised roundtables on non-alignment in global politics and media coverage of terrorism. He said the outcome would include a formal communiqué and academic publications aimed at influencing policy.

The conference also featured goodwill messages from the Ambassador of Portugal to Nigeria, Paulo Santos; the Ambassador of Cuba to Nigeria, Miriam Morales Palmero; Colombia’s Honorary Consul, Marisel Castillo and Ambassador Joe Keshi, President of the Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria.

Other goodwill speakers included Mr. Francis Ikyenga, representing the Secretary to the Government of the Federation; Chief Akin Arikawe of the Conference of Former Permanent Secretaries of Nigeria; Prof. Hassan Saliu, President of the Nigerian Political Science Association; and Barrister Dr. Deborah Usman, Jakadiyar Ham.

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Directorate of Public Affairs 

Office of the Vice-Chancellor 

Bingham University