Private Sector, GCERF and PAVE Network Unite to Build Resilience in Nigeria’s Fragile States

Chiemelie Ezeobi

Leading figures from Nigeria’s private sector, civil society organisations and development finance institutions have begun shaping new pathways for economic resilience and the prevention of violent extremism in the country’s most fragile regions.

This formed the focus of a high-level roundtable held in Abuja, convened by the Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PAVE) Network in collaboration with the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF).

In a statement issued on Thursday by the National Coordinator of the Media Against Violent Extremism (MAVE) Network, Senator Iroegbu, the dialogue brought together a cross-section of stakeholders, including Chairman of the PAVE Network, Jaye Gaskia; National Coordinator of GCERF Nigeria, Yetunde Adegoke; CEO of the Nehemiah Foundation, Emmanuel Nehemiah; Director of Research at Green Legacy Nigeria, Umar Saleh Anka; CEO of Agroxchange Group, Adenale Adegoke; and Investment Coordinator at Robust International Commodities Limited, Ilyasu Ishak, among others.

Opening the session, Gaskia stressed that the initiative goes beyond mobilising private sector funding. “We are not here just for financial resources. We are also looking for technical expertise, ideas, and all other forms of support,” he said, underscoring the need for sustained, collaborative engagement.

A key highlight of the roundtable was the unveiling of the Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism – Knowledge, Innovation, and Resource Hub (PCVE-KIRH), a digital platform developed by the PAVE Network to consolidate research, tools and expertise for community-level PCVE interventions. According to Gaskia, the hub will serve both as a knowledge repository and a community of practice, enabling practitioners across Nigeria and beyond to share innovations, incubate solutions and scale successful initiatives.

Discussions also centred on rethinking livelihood interventions through value-chain cooperatives. Unlike conventional cooperative models that group individuals around a single activity, the proposed framework integrates entire production ecosystems, linking producers, transporters, processors, packagers and distributors to create sustainable and resilient economic structures.

“Many existing cooperatives are just groups of individuals clustered around a single activity. But what we are building are value-chain cooperatives,” Gaskia explained. He added that the model also connects communities to secondary markets while addressing the social and emotional recovery needs of conflict-affected populations.

Expanding on this approach, Adegoke of Agroxchange Group outlined practical applications, including in-grower agro schemes, digital agriculture initiatives for young people and end-to-end value chain coordination. “Our key goal is to establish a balance between social, economic, and environmental capital,” he said, noting that the framework promotes job creation, higher incomes and sustainable agricultural practices.

A significant portion of the dialogue focused on access to development finance, particularly through the African Development Bank’s (AfDB) Fragility, Conflict, and Violence (FCV) Support Facility. AfDB consultant, Jumobi Fashola, explained that the facility links conflict resolution with economic development by providing structured funding to state governments and private sector actors through financial intermediaries.

“Projects are assessed for weak governance, climate change impacts, resource-related conflicts, and unemployment risks,” Fashola said, adding that eligibility is determined by state government requests, project viability and strict compliance with due diligence standards.

Ishak of Robust International Commodities Limited argued that access to finance itself is not the primary constraint. “The money is there, but unlocking it requires capacity, risk mitigation, and innovative approaches that make investors confident to act,” he said, noting that the major challenge lies in developing compelling, bankable proposals that meet the expectations of development finance institutions.

Providing a research perspective, Anka shared findings from Green Legacy Nigeria’s study on the Kano–Maraki Rail Line Project, which proposes converting the 400-kilometre corridor into a productive green belt through agroforestry systems that restore vegetation while reintegrating displaced populations.

Adegoke disclosed that GCERF has already begun engagements with the AfDB to explore de-risking mechanisms for bottom-up, outgrower business projects in Nigeria. “We are gathering information to develop strong concept notes that can facilitate private sector engagement with development finance institutions,” she said.

The roundtable ended with consensus on key priorities, including strengthening institutional frameworks, aligning interventions with state development plans, conducting rigorous feasibility studies and building the capacity needed to produce bankable proposals. Participants also highlighted the importance of political economy considerations, such as alignment with gubernatorial tenures and long-term state development strategies.

By combining private sector innovation, development finance instruments and community-centred cooperative models, stakeholders expressed confidence that Nigeria’s fragile states can be repositioned from zones of vulnerability into hubs of sustainable growth and stability.

The initiative marks a clear shift from fragmented livelihood programmes to integrated, scalable systems capable of addressing the interconnected challenges of conflict, displacement, unemployment and weak governance across Nigeria’s most vulnerable regions.