The National Defence College Nigeria has commenced the Countering the Financing of Terrorism and Regional Security Course, Operational Level 2 (CFTRSC-OPL2), aimed at enhancing institutional collaboration and strengthening efforts to disrupt terrorism financing networks across Nigeria, West Africa and the Sahel region.
Speaking at the opening ceremony in Abuja on Monday, the Commandant of the College, Rear Admiral Abdullahi Ahmed, ably represented by the Director of Academic Research and Analytical Support, Commodore AN Umaru said the increasing complexity of terrorism financing in the region necessitated stronger operational understanding and cooperation among security agencies, financial institutions and other stakeholders.
Ahmed noted that terrorism financing continued to evolve through both legal and illegal channels, exploiting formal and informal financial systems, cyber-enabled transactions, smuggling networks and other transnational criminal activities.
According to him, extremist groups operating within the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin sustain their activities through kidnapping for ransom, illegal taxation, arms trafficking, illicit mining, cattle rustling and organised criminal networks.
He stressed that countering terrorism financing could no longer be addressed solely through a Whole of Government Approach, adding that a more inclusive Whole of Society Approach involving the military, law enforcement agencies, financial institutions, civil society organisations, academia and the private sector had become necessary.
The Commandant said the Operational Level 2 course builds on the achievements of the pilot Operational Level 1 course conducted in May 2025, which helped refine the curriculum and training methodology in line with emerging security realities and international best practices.
Ahmed also acknowledged the contributions of key institutions including the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa, Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, National Counter Terrorism Centre, Department of State Services and the Compliance Institute of Nigeria for enriching the course content.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Provost of the Centre for Strategic Research and Studies, Prof. AO Ahmed, described the course as a strategic response to the growing nexus between organised crime and terrorism financing.
He said the maiden edition of the course successfully fostered inter-agency collaboration, enhanced intelligence-sharing and improved participants’ understanding of terrorism financing typologies and countermeasures.
Prof. Ahmed noted that the second edition seeks to consolidate previous gains while expanding discussions to address emerging trends and strengthen proactive intelligence-driven responses among stakeholders.
He added that the National Defence College, as the apex professional military education institution in Nigeria and an ECOWAS-designated Training Centre of Excellence, remained well positioned to deliver strategic capacity-building programmes focused on regional security challenges.
The course is organised by the Counterterrorism, Counterinsurgency and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (CTCOIN/CFT) Unit of the Centre for Strategic Research and Studies.
