INSTITUTIONAL AND POLICY GAPS IN REGIONAL SECURITY GOVERNANCE AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MULTILATERAL BORDER SECURITY COOPERATION IN THE LAKE CHAD BASIN (2020–2025)
Tamimu Saad Idris , Shuaibu Umar Abdul, PhD and Eugene Aliegba, PhD
Volume 6 Issue 1
Abstract
Persistent insecurity in the Lake Chad Basin has continued despite the establishment of regional security mechanisms such as the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) and the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC), raising concerns about the effectiveness of multilateral border security cooperation. Although previous studies have examined regional insecurity, counterinsurgency, and security cooperation, limited empirical attention has been given to how institutional deficiencies and policy inconsistencies jointly influence the effectiveness of multilateral border security cooperation, particularly during the period 2020–2025. This study examined the influence of institutional deficiencies and policy inconsistencies on the effectiveness of multilateral border security cooperation in the Lake Chad Basin. Guided by Regional Security Complex Theory, the study adopted a qualitative case study design. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with eleven purposively selected key informants drawn from regional security institutions, policy agencies, and academia, complemented by documentary analysis. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal weak institutional coordination, fragmented operational structures, inadequate intelligence-sharing mechanisms, overlapping mandates, and resource constraints significantly constrain the effectiveness of multilateral border security cooperation. The study further found that policy inconsistencies, reflected in divergent border management procedures, intelligence-sharing protocols, rules of engagement, and national security priorities, weaken coordinated regional responses and create operational gaps exploited by insurgent and transnational criminal groups. The study contributes to the literature by demonstrating that institutional effectiveness and policy coherence are mutually reinforcing determinants of successful multilateral border security cooperation within an interconnected regional security complex. It concludes that strengthening institutional coordination and harmonising regional security policies is essential for improving regional security governance and achieving more effective and sustainable border security outcomes in the Lake Chad Basin Keywords: Regional Security Complex Theory; Multilateral Border Security Cooperation; Institutional Deficiencies; Policy Inconsistencies; Lake Chad Basin.
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