By Fatima Saka
Ahead of 8th Annual Lecture and Conference,the Association of Foreign Relations Professionals of Nigeria (AFRP) has warned that the resurgence of military coups across parts of Africa, particularly the Sahel region, poses a serious threat to democratic governance on the continent.
Rising insecurity, economic hardship and growing public discontent, the group said, are increasingly undermining civilian rule and, in some cases, fuelling popular support for unconstitutional changes of government.
Speaking at a press briefing ahead of its lecture scheduled to hold on Thursday, 5 February 2026, at the Rotunda Hall, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tafawa Balewa House, Abuja.
on Friday in Abuja, AFRP President, Ambassador Gani Lawal, PhD, FFRP, announced that the association would host the African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, at its 8th Annual Lecture and Conference to interrogate the deepening democratic crisis in Africa.
Lawal said the 2026 lecture, themed “The Challenge of Democratic Governance in Africa: Megatrends and Leveraging Opportunities for Consolidation,” was deliberately chosen in response to the wave of coups and democratic reversals spreading across the continent.
“Recent political developments, especially the resurgence of military takeovers in parts of Africa, demand serious and clinical evaluation by those of us at the forefront of international relations practice,” he said.
According to him, democratic governance in Africa is also under pressure from terrorism, worsening economic conditions and widespread citizen dissatisfaction, developments that have prompted renewed debates over Africa’s political systems and its relationships with former colonial powers.
Lawal explained that the annual lecture, organised by AFRP in collaboration with its affiliate, the EFIP, has evolved into a flagship forum for foreign policy and governance discourse, bringing together serving and retired diplomats, scholars and policy experts.
He said Adeoye, a former Nigerian Ambassador to Ethiopia currently serving his second term as AU Commissioner, is well positioned to offer practical insights into the continent’s democracy, peace and security challenges.
The chairman of the occasion, he added, will be Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and immediate past Chief of Staff to late President Muhammadu Buhari, who is also the patron of AFRP.
Lawal disclosed that Vice President Kashim Shettima is expected as Special Guest of Honour, while the Sarki of Kano, His Highness Khalifa Muhammadu Sanusi II, will serve as the Royal Father of the Day.
He noted that past speakers at the forum include Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, Dr Kingsley Moghalu, Ibn Chambas, Ambassador Amina Mohammed and former South African President Thabo Mbeki, adding that selected lectures have been compiled into a reference compendium for scholars and practitioners.
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Reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to democratic governance in Africa, Lawal said the country must continue to lead by example and support neighbouring states in line with its concentric circle foreign policy, which places Africa at the centre of Nigeria’s external relations.
He urged the media and the public to attend the lecture, stressing that timely participation would be crucial to maximising the benefits of the discussions.
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