The ancient Kanem-Borno Empire has announced plans to host its second cultural summit aimed at tackling violent extremism and other challenges undermining peace, stability and socio-economic development in the Lake Chad region.
At least 1,000 delegates drawn from ethnic communities that once constituted the Kanem-Borno Empire in Nigeria and the diaspora are expected to converge in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
The Lake Chad region has, for more than a decade, grappled with terrorism, climate change, multidimensional poverty and social unrest across Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon and the wider Sahel.
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Speaking to journalists in Maiduguri on Wednesday, Zanna Hassan Boguma, chairman of the summit, said the gathering will hold under the auspices of the Biennial Kanem-Borno 2nd Annual General Conference and Cultural Summit.
He recalled that the maiden edition of the summit was held in January 2024 in Maiduguri.
The 2026 summit, themed “Echoes of Resilience: Harnessing Culture for Peace and Regional Stability,” is expected to attract participants from the four Lake Chad Basin countries—Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon—as well as other countries across the world.
According to Boguma, scholars from Nigeria, Niger, Chad and other Sahelian countries will present papers on sustaining Kanuri culture, improving regional security, strengthening the Lake Chad economy and revitalising the lake.
“This summit will serve as a global homecoming, bringing together sons and daughters of Kanem-Borno from across Nigeria and around the world, including members of the diaspora, scholars, professionals, traditional rulers, cultural custodians, youth and women,” he said.
He described the initiative as a deliberate effort to reconnect the people to their shared heritage while mobilising collective knowledge, resources and networks to promote peace and stability in the region.
Boguma noted that the Lake Chad Basin remains a critical economic lifeline for West Africa and the Sahel, adding that participants are expected from Ghana, Togo, Niger, Sudan, Ethiopia and Central African countries.
“We are expecting over 1,000 participants from across the world, including academics, traditional institutions, cultural experts, government officials, political leaders and cultural ambassadors,” he said.
He added that the second biennial summit would build on the success of the maiden edition by deepening conversations around identity, resilience and collective responsibility.
“At a time when the Lake Chad Basin continues to face security, humanitarian and socio-economic challenges, the summit positions culture as a unifying force and a strategic tool for peacebuilding, reconciliation and regional integration,” Boguma said.
He stressed that the summit is inclusive, non-partisan and forward-looking, noting that it is designed to complement ongoing security and development efforts through a people-driven platform that strengthens social cohesion and fosters long-term peace in the region.
