At the June 12, 2026 edition of the annual governance forum, The Platform, security consultant and lawyer Charles Omole advocated the introduction of Security Impact Assessments (SIAs) as a mandatory requirement for major government policies and projects. He argued that Nigeria’s security challenges require a proactive rather than reactive approach, stressing that security considerations should be integrated into policymaking from the outset rather than addressed after crises emerge.

According to Omole, many security threats are linked to governance failures, poverty, unemployment, weak institutions, and social grievances. He warned that policies in sectors such as infrastructure, education, agriculture, urban development, and mining can have unintended security consequences if their impacts are not properly assessed before implementation.

Speaking on the theme of rethinking national security, he also called for broader reforms within Nigeria’s security architecture, including improved coordination among security agencies and a more strategic approach to national security management. He maintained that security agencies often operate in silos and that greater collaboration is essential to addressing the country’s complex security threats.