The 5th edition of the Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum (LCBGF) will be held from January 29 to 31, 2025, at the Indimi International Conference Centre in Maiduguri, Nigeria.
The forum is organised by the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The event will be held under the theme “Rebuilding the Lake Chad Basin: Consolidating Gains, Commitment to Peace, Cross-Border Cooperation, Security, and Sustainable Development for a Resilient Community.”
Hosted by the Yobe State Government, Nigeria, the Forum will serve as a vital platform for dialogue, coordination, and cross-border cooperation among the eight territories of the Lake Chad Basin affected by the Boko Haram crisis.
It will also provide opportunities for multi-stakeholder engagement. At the same time, Governors consolidate gains and advance regional cooperation on priority areas of the Regional Strategy for the Stabilization, Recovery, and Resilience (RS-SRR) of Boko Haram-affected areas of the Lake Chad Basin.
Approximately 500 participants are expected to attend, including representatives from national and local governments of Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria, as well as Regional Economic Communities (RECs), national and international Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), traditional leaders, United Nations agencies, donors, research and educational institutions, and other key technical partners.
The Governors’ Forum occurs amid evolving conflict dynamics, widespread displacement, damage to the social fabric, interrupted public services, and weakened institutional capacities across the affected countries.
Over time, the Forum has become one of the most influential political platforms for actors operating in the region. “The Forum provides a critical space for humanitarian, development, and peace actors, alongside civil society organisations, including women- and youth-led groups, donors, and security actors, to come together and shape concrete and actionable plans for stabilising the region and advancing recovery and long-term development,” said His Excellency Ambassador Mamman Nuhu, Executive Secretary of the LCBC and Head of Mission of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF).
“The Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum remains an essential platform for promoting sustainable development, peace, and security in the region,” said Ambassador Adeoye Bankole, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security at the African Union Commission.
“The African Union is committed to supporting the stabilisation initiatives of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and calls on member states and international partners to extend support to the Forum’s efforts toward consolidating peace in the region and creating better opportunities for the people of the Lake Chad Basin,” he added.
Now in its fifth edition, the upcoming forum will allow stakeholders to review progress, agree on a shared understanding of the current situation in the Lake Chad Basin region, and propose programmatic and policy pathways to enhance regional cooperation, stabilisation, long-term peace, and sustainable development.
“As the host Governor of the 5th edition of the Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum, I am deeply honoured to reaffirm Yobe State’s total commitment to the success of this significant regional event, which represents a vital opportunity for us to advance cooperation for sustainable development across the Lake Chad Basin region,” said His Excellency Hon. Mai Mala Buni, Executive Governor of Yobe State.
The 5th Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum will begin with a Pre-Forum from January 27 to 28, 2025, aimed at enhancing inclusivity through discussions with local and national actors, civil society, and traditional leaders on key topics such as social cohesion, peaceful coexistence, and the prevention of violent extremism.
This Pre-Forum will enrich and inform discussions at the central Forum. “The Regional Stabilization Facility (RSF) has been instrumental in implementing the Regional Strategy for the Stabilization, Recovery, and Resilience (RS-SRR) of Boko Haram-affected areas in the Lake Chad Basin region, driving impactful on-the-ground programs led by national actors to rehabilitate homes, schools, and health centres while creating new economic opportunities,” said Mr Njoya Tikum, Director, UNDP Sub-Regional Hub for West and Central Africa.
“Together, we’ve co-created solutions that have enabled nearly half a million internally displaced persons to return to their communities and live in dignity,” he added.
