Conflict Early Warning Initiative Launched In Katsina, Others

An initiative aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s capacity to prevent and respond to violent conflicts has been launched under the National Conflict Awareness and Tele-Response System, with Katsina State among the key beneficiaries.

The project, funded by the UK Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO), supported by Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria (SPRiNG) project and implemented in partnership with the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), and Conflict Research Network West-Africa (CORN-West) Africa seeks to reinforce Nigeria’s National Conflict Early Warning and Early Response System (NCEWERS) amid growing security challenges across the country.

Speaking during a stakeholders’ engagement in Katsina, project technical lead, CORN -West Africa, Dr. Chaimang Mang, explained that the initiative is designed to address the rising incidence of conflict driven largely by climate change and intense competition over scarce resources.

He said these factors have continued to fuel insecurity and instability in many parts of Nigeria.

The project introduces innovative digital platforms that allow for real-time collection and analysis of conflict data.

Through enhanced data integration, geospatial mapping, and trend analysis, the system is expected to improve coordination among security agencies, government institutions, and community-based actors, enabling faster and more effective responses to emerging threats.

According to him, the intervention builds on earlier USAID-supported programmes that reached more than 10,000 community members through early warning response groups.

Those efforts laid the foundation for the current initiative, which aims to further strengthen stakeholder capacity and expand community-level engagement.

The project is being implemented between October 2025 and March 2026 across four states. That is Katsina and Kaduna in the northwest, and Benue and Plateau in the north-central region.

These states were selected based on conflict indicators showing repeated experiences of violent crises.

While the northwest has faced challenges related to terrorism and banditry, the north-central region has recorded persistent communal, and resource based conflicts with continued clashes between farmers and pastoralists.

He reiterated that the major objective of the programme is to enhance real-time conflict detection and response through a digital platform that monitors climate-related and resource-based disputes.

The system will generate timely alerts to support rapid intervention and prevent escalation into violence.

As part of its community-focused strategy, the project plans to establish 20 community-based monitoring and early warning response groups across the four states.

At least 30 to 50 per cent of participants will be women and members of marginalized groups, reflecting the project’s strong emphasis on inclusion and local ownership.

He added that about 300 stakeholders, including security personnel, government officials, and early warning response officers, will be trained in conflict and climate risk analysis.

The training is aimed at strengthening institutional capacity and ensuring the sustainability of Nigeria’s early warning mechanisms.

The initiative is expected to directly benefit between 5,000 and 7,000 people. It will employ a combination of advocacy, research, and capacity building, using both offline methods such as SMS and community outreach, as well as digital platforms for data collection and reporting.

Dr Mang said the platform is designed to be inclusive, accommodating persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, while ensuring that conflict reports are verified, archived, and processed within minutes for effective response.

With its focus on technology, community participation, and inter-agency coordination, the National Conflict Awareness and Tele-Response System is expected to play a critical role in reducing conflict risks and improving peace and security in Katsina State and beyond.