The Federal Government is in the final stages of unveiling NACTEST 2025 — the revised National Counterterrorism Strategy, a comprehensive framework designed to combat terrorism and violent extremism across Nigeria.
Speaking in Abuja at the Final Validation Exercise of the draft policy, Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka, National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), said the document is the product of months of rigorous review, consultations, and sector-wide collaboration.
“This workshop is not just about reviewing a document, but endorsing a shared vision that will guide Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts for years to come,” Laka stated.
Once launched, NACTEST 2025 will provide an integrated blueprint for preventing, detecting, and responding to terrorism, while addressing the root causes of violent extremism and promoting national unity.
The strategy adopts both a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach — ensuring interagency coordination among ministries, departments, and agencies, while engaging communities, civil society, and the private sector to build trust, strengthen resilience, and counter extremist narratives.
Pillars of the Strategy
Director of Policy and Strategy at NCTC, Commodore Ahmad Madawaki, explained that the whole-of-government pillar guarantees a coordinated and effective response to terrorism, while the whole-of-society pillar ensures broad public involvement in fostering social cohesion and undermining extremist ideologies.
The revised framework also integrates counterterrorism measures with the prevention and countering of violent extremism (P/CVE), aligning with legal obligations and international best practices.
Madawaki stressed that the strategy must receive ratification from all critical stakeholders before its final editing and publication. “Every ministry, department, and agency must understand its role in implementing this strategy once it is launched,” he said.
The NCTC acknowledged the technical and financial support of the international community in strengthening Nigeria’s security capabilities.
With NACTEST 2025 nearing completion, Nigeria is poised to bolster its national security architecture and mount a more inclusive and effective response to terrorism.
