Events
Forgotten Conflicts: Rethinking Violence and Peacebuilding in Nigeria
The Forgotten Conflicts series, initiated by the Working Group on Peace and Development (FriEnt), addresses crises that are overlooked by the German public and policy discourse. Following the 2024 focus on the Sahel and the 2025 edition on the Great Lakes Region, the 2026 edition centres on Nigeria. Oyewole Oginni, bicc senior researcher, will take part in the discussions as a panellist along with Dr Asmau Benzies (CENGAIN Nigeria), Fr Lawrence Chukwunweike Emehel (Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria) and Annelene Bremer (German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development – BMZ).
At the next background discussion on 26 August at 17:15 CET, the event will bring civil society actors from Nigeria to Berlin to engage directly with German decision-makers and the expert audience. While international attention has largely focused on Boko Haram in the North-East, violence in Nigeria's North-West and Middle Belt has grown increasingly complex, driven by banditry, resource competition and weak governance rather than religious or ethnic divides alone. The discussion aims to deconstruct these narratives and bridge the gap between local peacebuilding realities and German foreign and development policy. The PAVE project, led by bicc, focuses on ways to prevent and reduce violence perpetrated by jihadist insurgent groups and bandit groups in North West and Middle Belt Nigeria. Oyewole will share the project's findings to enrich the discussion.
Date: 26. August 2026
Location: Berlin
Registration: events@frient.de (spots are limited)