Pursuant to the continued implementation of the ECOWAS Roadmap on Physical Security and Stockpile Management (PSSM), the Directorate of Peacekeeping and Regional Security, in collaboration with the Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies (BICC), Germany, and the Nigerian National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NNSALW) conducted a five-day In-country Training on Physical Security and Stockpile Management (PSSM) for national security personnel in Nigeria.

The training, held from 7 to 11 September 2026 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria underscores ECOWAS’s continued commitment to preventing the diversion, theft, loss and illicit proliferation of weapons and ammunition; improving the security and accountability of state-held stockpiles as well as preventing unintended explosions in Member States.

During the training which combined classroom teachings with simulations and practical exercises, personnel drawn from twelve (12) national security agencies gained specialised knowledge and skills on PSSM approaches, principles and procedures aligned with international standards and best practices. As part of the simulation exercises, participants visited the armoury of the Nigerian Army’s 29 Battalion, where they observed the application of PSSM principles and procedures in an operational setting. The training also assessed participants’ technical competence and instructional potential, with a view to identifying qualified personnel for further development as ECOWAS PSSM instructors. This initiative is expected to expand the ECOWAS Pool of PSSM Instructors and enhance the region’s capacity to provide sustainable training and technical assistance to Member States.