A group of herders leading cattle on open grazing along a rural road, with green hills and scattered trees in the background. © PEACECORE

Promoting peace and economic development in North Central Nigeria

PEACECORE – Strengthening Capacities for Conflict Transformation and Livelihood for Groups in Vulnerable Situations in Nigeria’s Central Zone

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  • Client

    German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) / Transitional Development Assistance Fund (TDA)

  • Country
  • Political sponsors

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  • Runtime

    2023 to 2026

  • Involved

    Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), HD Center (HDC)

  • Products and expertise

    Security, reconstruction, peace

A group of people at a Briquette workshop.

Context

Plateau State in Central Nigeria has long suffered from violent conflicts between semi-nomadic herders and farmers over land disputes, leading to more than 15,000 deaths since 2010. Recently, these conflicts have intensified, neglecting essential infrastructure such as water and power supply as well as agricultural processing systems. In May 2023, conflict escalated in Mangu, Plateau State, resulting in over 300 deaths, the destruction of homes, and more than 80,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) within three months.

These repeated episodes of violence harm people's physical safety and livelihoods. They also traumatise children, young people, and adults, further undermining their resilience and ability to secure their futures. Cooperation between state and civil society actors, aimed at reducing violent escalations and improving livelihoods, remains hindered by mistrust. Traditional mediation mechanisms for reconciling the interests of herders and farmers no longer function effectively.

A group of women participate in a cheese training session, with one woman chopping vegetables on a cutting board.© PEACECORE

Objective

Farmers and herders in Nigeria’s Plateau State coexist peacefully, stable livelihoods secured for women and vulnerable individuals.

Approach

The project adopts an integrated approach focused on conflict transformation, economic empowerment, and environmental stability to achieve lasting peace in Plateau State. The project emphasises a participatory and inclusive approach, ensuring impacts are locally driven, context-specific, and long-lasting.

It has three main areas of action:

  • Supporting the Plateau Peace Building Agency (PPBA) in establishing the agency within the state to enhance the coordination of peace-building efforts.
  • Addressing the connection between peaceful coexistence and economic empowerment among cattle herders and farmers, Christians and Muslims, youth, elderly, women, and men, in cooperation with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).
  • Securing stable local and state peace infrastructures through skills building, learning and coordination with the HD Center.

Last update: July 2024

Additional information