Tinubu Orders Five-Year National Security Threat Assessment and Defence Plan

President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate preparation of a comprehensive National Threat Assessment and a rolling five-year Strategic Defence Operations Plan aimed at strengthening coordination among Nigeria’s defence, intelligence and security agencies.

The directive was issued at a Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, where Tinubu constituted an 11-member committee to develop the two strategic documents. The committee has been given 90 days to complete and submit its work to the President for consideration and approval.

The National Threat Assessment is expected to provide a unified picture of the major security threats confronting Nigeria, assess their urgency and establish operational objectives for addressing them.

The five-year defence plan will translate those findings into specific operational priorities, including the forces and capabilities required across different theatres, existing capability gaps, equipment and support needs, as well as a timetable for implementation.

The initiative comes as Nigeria continues to confront multiple security challenges, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other forms of organized crime. Government officials say stronger coordination among security agencies is essential to responding effectively to these threats.

The plan is also expected to provide a clearer framework for medium-term defence spending and procurement, helping authorities align military investments with identified national security priorities rather than relying primarily on short-term operational needs.

Security analysts say a comprehensive threat assessment could improve strategic planning by allowing authorities to prioritize resources according to the scale and urgency of different threats. They also stress that effective implementation will depend on accurate intelligence, adequate funding, inter-agency cooperation and accountability.

The committee has been authorized to consult or co-opt representatives from other ministries, departments and agencies where necessary, allowing expertise from across government to contribute to the assessment.

With the 90-day deadline now in place, attention will turn to how quickly the committee can produce the framework and how effectively the resulting five-year strategy translates into improved security operations and national defence capabilities.