The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has inaugurated a Presidential Committee tasked with preparing a comprehensive National Threat Assessment and a rolling Five-Year Strategic Defence Operations Plan for Nigeria.

‎The committee was inaugurated on Wednesday on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with the SGF charging members to approach the assignment with professionalism, objectivity, urgency and patriotism. He said the committee had 90 days to submit both documents for the President’s consideration and approval.

‎The SGF said the initiative was aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s capacity to understand, anticipate and respond effectively to an increasingly complex security environment. He noted that contemporary threats were becoming more interconnected and adaptive, requiring a coordinated national strategy rather than isolated responses to individual security challenges.

He said the National Threat Assessment should provide an objective assessment of Nigeria’s security landscape, including existing and emerging threats, their likely evolution, strategic implications and the appropriate government response. The assessment is also expected to provide a common planning basis for the Armed Forces, intelligence services and other relevant security agencies.

According to him, the Five-Year Strategic Defence Operations Plan would translate the threat assessment into prioritised operational requirements by identifying the capabilities, personnel, equipment, infrastructure, logistics, intelligence and technology needed across the various operational theatres.

The SGF said the plan would also identify capability gaps, establish procurement priorities and provide realistic implementation timelines, including mechanisms for monitoring progress and measuring outcomes. He added that the five-year plan would operate on a rolling basis and be reviewed annually to accommodate emerging threats, operational realities and technological developments.

‎The committee is mandated to review Nigeria’s principal security threats, define operational priorities, identify capability gaps and determine procurement requirements based on assessed threats rather than institutional preferences. Its membership includes the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu; Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd.); Minister of State for Defence, Bello Muhammad Matawalle; and Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, alongside the service chiefs and heads of key security and intelligence agencies.

The committee will be coordinated and supported by the Special Adviser to the President on Homeland Security, Major General Adeyinka Famadewa (rtd.), who said subcommittees would be established to facilitate specialised areas of work and ensure completion within the 90-day timeframe.

He urged members to work collectively, describing the assignment as a shared national responsibility, while expressing appreciation to President Tinubu for entrusting them with the task of strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture.