Assessment of Nigeria's implementation of the economic community of West African states (ECOWAS) convention on small arms and light weapons from 2011 to 2024

Abstract

The principal objective of this study is to assess Nigeria's implementation of the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons,
with attention to its legal, institutional, and operational dimensions. The study sets out to identify the strengths and the weaknesses in
Nigeria's effort to control the proliferation of arms and to align its national practice with the mandates of ECOWAS. The research adopts a
qualitative methodology and draws on both primary and secondary sources, among them legal instruments, policy reports, and semi
structured interviews with government officials, security personnel, and civil society actors. The findings reveal that, although Nigeria has
taken a number of formal steps, including the establishment of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, the
implementation process remains weak, fragmented, and largely reactive. The principal obstacles identified include outdated legislation, poor
coordination among agencies, inadequate funding, porous borders, and a limited culture of public awareness. The study also finds that
disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration programmes are underdeveloped and are not yet fully integrated into the broader
architecture of peace building. Inconsistent political will and limited regional collaboration constitute further obstacles to effective
enforcement. The study recommends a multifaceted response that combines legal reform, institutional restructuring, stronger cross border
cooperation, strengthened disarmament programming, and enhanced community based initiatives, alongside deeper engagement with the full
range of stakeholders. It concludes that the successful domestication and enforcement of the ECOWAS Convention is indispensable to the
stability of Nigeria and to the wider peace and security of West Africa.