President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday commended the Nigerian Armed Forces for their successes against insurgency and criminality, while reaffirming his administration’s resolve to address the root causes of insecurity through reforms and a strengthened security framework.

Speaking in Yokohama, Japan, at the plenary on Peace and Stability during the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9), Tinubu described inclusivity, diversity, and the rule of law as Nigeria’s greatest strengths.

According to presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said the current momentum within the Armed Forces should serve as a springboard for development and national stability. “Nigeria’s brave armed forces can win any number of battles, but we do justice to their heroism only when we, as government, are courageous in tackling not just terror, but also the underlying causes,” he noted.

The president stressed that peace and stability remain indispensable to sustainable development, citing recent peace pacts in Congo as proof that mediation tied to economic considerations can deliver results. He urged nations to embrace market-driven cooperation instead of relying on repeated aid appeals.

Tinubu also pressed Japan and global partners to back Africa’s demand for reforms in the United Nations Security Council. “Africa deserves two seats in the Permanent Category, with all its prerogatives and privileges, including the Right of Veto. Africa also deserves additional seats in the non-permanent category, as encapsulated in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration,” he said.

At the opening session, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba highlighted Japan’s focus on private sector-led growth, youth and women empowerment, and regional integration. He unveiled a $5.5 billion collaborative framework with the African Development Bank, supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency’s private sector investment finance.

Ishiba also underscored Africa’s youthful population as a critical asset, calling for manufacturing-led job creation to harness its potential. “For the power of young people in Africa to flourish, you need to create a manufacturing industry and create employment. That is very important,” he said, contrasting Africa’s growth prospects with Japan’s shrinking population and declining farmland.