Conflict prevention experts have identified functional early warning systems as crucial for achieving sustainable development in Nigeria's Niger Delta region. This revelation came during a major retreat organized by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in Lagos.
Urgent Call for Conflict Prevention Infrastructure
Professor Isaac Albert, a renowned Peace and Conflict Studies scholar from the University of Ibadan, delivered a powerful lecture at the four-day retreat for the NDDC Department of Dispute and Conflict Resolution. The event, held from November 22, 2025, carried the theme 'Effective Early Warning System for Conflict Prevention: A Key in Advancing the Renewed Hope Agenda for Sustainable Development in the Niger Delta Region.'
Professor Albert issued a stark warning to the commission, stating that without a functional early warning system, sustainable development in the region will remain elusive. He emphasized the urgent need to strengthen the conflict-prevention architecture of the NDDC.
Linking Early Warning to National Development Agenda
The academic expert connected the workshop's objectives with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda, describing it as a comprehensive policy framework designed to drive Nigeria's development across multiple sectors. "In the Niger Delta, an area historically affected by resource-based conflict, the agenda's success depends on how well its core strategies address both the root causes and the manifestations of conflict," Albert explained.
He posed critical questions to the NDDC leadership: "Do you have an effective early warning system in the NDDC? If not, how do you intend to prevent conflict and advance sustainable development?"
Community-Driven Approach Essential
Professor Albert stressed that effective early-warning structures must be community-driven and capable of triggering timely interventions. "We need systems that not only collect and analyse data but also trigger action. Otherwise, we are simply documenting crises, not preventing them," he cautioned.
The peace building expert noted that efforts in the Niger Delta continue to face challenges because key stakeholders – including oil companies, state and local governments, youths, and market women – are often excluded from planning and monitoring processes.
Niger Delta's Complex Challenges
In his opening remarks, Godwin Ogedegbe, the acting Director of Dispute and Conflict Resolution, described the deliberations as both timely and essential. He emphasized that the discussions were crucial for translating aspirations into action, protecting vulnerable populations, and unlocking the region's vast potential.
Ogedegbe highlighted the Niger Delta's paradoxical nature, describing it as one of Nigeria's most dynamic yet most challenged regions. He outlined the area's immense natural wealth and vibrant communities alongside a history of conflict rooted in environmental degradation, resource competition, governance gaps, unemployment, youth restiveness, and unequal access to services.
"The Niger Delta region, rich in natural resources and cultural heritage, has long stood at the crossroad of opportunity and adversity. While its oil wealth has powered the national economy, the region has also endured decades of environmental degradation, socio-economic inequality and intermittent conflict," Ogedegbe stated.
NDDC Leadership Commits to Action
The Managing Director of the NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, represented by his Special Adviser on Security, Ibarakumo Otobo, acknowledged the critical importance of early warning systems in conflict resolution. He noted that such systems enable proactive problem-solving, stating that "if we know our problem early enough, we will be able to proffer solution, and this is one key area the NDDC will work on."
Dr. Ogbuku emphasized the commission's commitment to developing capacity in identifying early signs of potential conflicts and implementing effective response strategies. This approach forms part of the NDDC's broader mission to address the region's complex challenges and harness its significant potential for sustainable development.
