AFRICAN CHRISTIAN ETHICS AS A FRAMEWORK FORNATIONAL SECURITY AND DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Abstract

National security and sustainable development remain major concerns in
Nigeria, where terrorism, banditry, corruption, communal conflicts and
weak governance continue to undermine social stability and economic
progress. Conventional security responses have concentrated largely on
military operations and institutional reforms, yet ethical deficits in
leadership and citizenship persist. This study examines African Christian
ethics as a framework for promoting national security and sustainable
development in Nigeria. Specifically, it analyses the ethical foundations of
African Christian thought, evaluates their relevance to governance,
peacebuilding, responsible citizenship and social justice, and assesses their
potential contribution to addressing contemporary security and
development challenges. The study adopted a qualitative research design
based on a descriptive and analytical approach. Data were collected from
books, journal articles, official documents and other relevant secondary
sources and analysed thematically. Findings reveal that ethical principles
such as justice, human dignity, integrity, communal responsibility and
reconciliation can strengthen ethical leadership, reduce corruption, promote
social cohesion and support sustainable national development when
translated into public policy and institutional practice. The study
recommends the integration of ethics into education, strengthened churchstate collaboration, ethical leadership development and community-based
peacebuilding initiatives. It concludes that African Christian ethics provides
a practical moral framework capable of complementing existing security
and development strategies in Nigeria through ethical governance,
responsible citizenship and social transformation.