Organized by the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), this initiative aims to update Nigeria's arms control data, which has relied on a baseline survey conducted a decade ago in 2016.

National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu emphasized that policy responses to insecurity must be evidence-driven rather than built on assumptions or outdated assessments.

Replacing Outdated Data:

National security analysts noted that conducting threat assessments using decade-old baseline metrics creates critical operational blind spots.

Identifying Proliferation Routes:

The upcoming survey will evaluate the scale, types, and distribution of illegal weapons, mapping trafficking corridors, local fabrication hubs, and stockpile leakages.

Sharpening Security Operations:

Credible baseline metrics will help law enforcement and security agencies target counter-proliferation, border security, and community disarmament initiatives more effectively.

Whole-of-Society Approach: The survey framework Incorporates data from security forces, sub-national governments, traditional leaders, and civil society organizations.

Why It Matters

Uncontrolled small arms directly fuel regional violence, including banditry in the North-West, terrorism in the North-East, and armed crime across major urban centers.

Establishing an accurate, updated arms map serves as a vital foundation for intelligence-led security operations and border control reforms across the country.