LASU, NIS to Co-Host ABORNE 2026 Conference in August

L Lagos State University (LASU) has formally announced that it will co-host the 2026 Conference of the African Borderlands Research Network (ABORNE) in partnership with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS). The continental conference is slated for August 2026 and will take place at the University’s Main Campus in Ojo, Lagos.

The annual gathering is expected to attract top scholars, policymakers, researchers, and practitioners from within and outside Africa to engage on themes such as border governance, migration, transnational security, and cross-border socio-economic development.

To kick-start preparations, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ibiyemi Ibilola Olatunji-Bello, mni, NPOM, on Thursday, inaugurated the National Working Committee (NWC) for the conference. The inauguration followed a courtesy visit by committee members to her office at the Babatunde Raji Fashola Senate Building.

The National Working Committee comprises renowned border studies experts, faculty members, and key institutional stakeholders saddled with driving Nigeria’s hosting responsibilities for the 2026 event.

Notable members present included:
• Dr. Willie Eselebor, representing ABORNE
• Professor Tunji Azeez – Alternate Chair
• Professor Adewunmi Falode (LASU) – Assistant Alternate Chair
• Mrs. Saratu Ibrahim Abdulganiyu – Comptroller, Nigeria Immigration Service
• Mr. E. L. Anugwa – Assistant Comptroller General and Zonal Coordinator, Zone A, NIS
• Dr. Tarfa Usman Farouk – Head of Cross-Border Cooperation, National Boundary Commission
• Mallam Isa Sadiq Abdullahi – Director of Planning, Intergovernmental and Community Relations, Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA)

Speaking after inaugurating the committee, Professor Olatunji-Bello expressed delight over LASU’s selection as co-host, describing it as proof of the University’s expanding international visibility in research, innovation, and policy development.

“The ABORNE 2026 Conference presents a unique platform for deepening regional and continental cooperation on borderland issues,” she said. “LASU is proud to lead this effort alongside the Nigeria Immigration Service and other national partners. We are fully committed to delivering a bold, inclusive, and world-class conference.”

After the inauguration, the committee held its first planning meeting, discussing key timelines, thematic focus areas, and Nigeria’s strategic contributions to the ABORNE research agenda.

University Management members present at the inauguration included the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), Professor Oseni Taiwo Afisi; Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Professor Oluwatoyin Enikuomehin; and other principal officers and senior staff.

As part of ongoing preparations, the Nigeria Immigration Service will host the next NWC meeting, further demonstrating both institutions’ shared resolve to deliver an impactful global event.

The ABORNE 2026 Conference is expected to stand out as a landmark in LASU’s academic calendar, reinforcing Nigeria’s leadership in borderlands scholarship and contributing meaningfully to discussions on regional cooperation and sustainable border management across Africa.