IOM, Lake Chad Basin Commission seal agreement to drive regional development

IOM Regional Director, Ms. Sylvia Ekra, and LCBC Executive Secretary Amb. Mamman Nuhu during the signing ceremony of the MoU in N’Djamena. Photo: IOM/Catherine Arseneau 2026.

Stanley Ihedigbo

International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) have formalized a partnership through a memorandum of understanding, aimed at enhancing coordination on peacebuilding, displacement management, and resilience initiatives across conflict-affected regions in Chad, Niger, Nigeria, and Cameroon.

The Memorandum establishes a framework for the two organizations to work more closely on the four strategic areas of the Regional Strategy for Stabilization, Recovery and Resilience of Boko Haram affected areas in the Lake Chad Basin region, including: Sustainable Peace and Security, Durable Solutions and Protection, Socio-Economic Recovery and Livelihoods, and Regional Cooperation and Governance.

“The Lake Chad Basin is often described through the lens of crisis. Yet it is also a space of opportunity, cooperation and shared prosperity,” said IOM’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Sylvia Ekra.

“This agreement with the Commission strengthens the alignment between regional strategy and impactful operational delivery. By combining data, coordinated action, political commitment and a nexus approach, we are reinforcing a framework that supports stability, safe mobility and long-term resilience across the Basin.”

The Lake Chad crisis is among the world’s worst humanitarian emergencies, driven by years of violent conflict, climate change, and environmental degradation. More than 6.4 million people are displaced or otherwise affected as of December 2025, facing food insecurity and diminishing resources.

The region requires sustained investment across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus to address the immediate needs of crisis-affected communities, build peace and social cohesion, and set displaced persons on pathways to durable solutions and long-term development.

Anchored in data, the Memorandum is aligned with the Lake Chad Basin Regional Strategy for the Stabilization, Recovery and Resilience of Boko Haram affected areas of the Lake Chad Basin region (RS SRR), a bold framework that facilitates stability, addresses the drivers of violent extremism, and enables the transition from crisis response to sustainable development.

Through this renewed agreement, the two institutions will strengthen their partnership at both strategic and operational levels to support evidence-based policy making on human mobility in the four countries, but also cross-border coordination, support for the implementation of Territorial Action Plans, and promote climate-resilient economic initiatives.

“This Memorandum of Understanding reaffirms our shared dedication to building a Lake Chad Basin where communities live in safety, where displaced families find durable solutions, where natural resources are managed sustainably, and where regional cooperation thrives”, said Executive Secretary of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, Head of Mission of the Multinational Joint Task Force, Amb. Mamman Nuhu.

“Our region faces complex challenges – but with strong, well‑coordinated partnerships such as this, we are better equipped to overcome them”, he added.

In the coming months, the two organizations will establish joint working groups and develop implementation plans to operationalize the partnership. Priority areas include strengthening exchange and sharing of data and knowledge on migration patterns, promoting community-led reconciliation and reintegration initiatives, and climate resilience programs across the Lake Chad Basin region.