The Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, has pledged to strengthen intelligence collaboration with the Department of State Services, DSS, and other federal security agencies as part of efforts to address insecurity, violent extremism, and inter-communal unrest across Nigeria.
The commitment was contained in a communiqué issued after the forum’s fifth meeting held Thursday in Abuja. The statement was signed by NGF Chairman and Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and read to journalists by Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Sanwo-Olu explained that the 36 state governors deliberated on key national issues including security coordination, economic reforms, and gender inclusion.
He said the forum received a detailed briefing from the Director-General of the DSS, Mr. Adeola Ajayi, who highlighted emerging security threats and intelligence-driven approaches to enhance subnational cooperation.
“The presentation focused on countering violent extremism, managing communal conflicts, and addressing insecurity linked to economic hardship and political transition,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He added that governors commended the DSS for its proactive engagement and reiterated their resolve to deepen intelligence sharing to promote stability and peace across the states.
The forum also expressed strong support for the “Reserved Seats for Women Bill” (HB 1349), which seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to create special constituencies exclusively for female candidates in the National and State Assemblies.
Sanwo-Olu noted that the proposed bill, scheduled for a vote between November 4 and 6, is aimed at promoting inclusive governance and equitable political participation.
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“The governors resolved to engage their senators and state legislators to support the bill and affirm Nigeria’s commitment to equity and gender balance,” he said.
In the economic sphere, the governors endorsed ongoing monetary and exchange rate stabilisation measures by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
According to Sanwo-Olu, the CBN Governor, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso—represented by his deputy, Dr. Muhammad Sani Abdullahi—outlined reforms aimed at restoring price stability, curbing inflation, and boosting investor confidence.
He said the measures include the tightening of monetary policy, unification of exchange rate windows, and recapitalisation of banks to improve liquidity and strengthen the financial system.
“Governors commended the CBN’s coordinated engagement with fiscal authorities and emphasised sustained collaboration to secure growth and fiscal sustainability across states,” the communiqué concluded.
NAN
