As Nigeria grapples with worsening insecurity fueled by porous borders, fresh attention is turning to how technology and inter-agency coordination could help tackle the country's long-standing border surveillance failures.
The debate has gained momentum following the participation of Nigerian filmmaker and content creator, Steven Ndukwu, in a high-level United States border operations tour organised by the U.S. Department of State through its Bureau of Global Public Affairs Foreign Press Center programme.
The May 17-23 reporting tour, titled "Securing Our Border and Restoring Operational Control," provided selected international media professionals behind-the-scenes access to security operations along the U.S. southern border in Tucson, Arizona, and San Diego, California.
The programme exposed participants to how American agencies deploy surveillance systems, intelligence-sharing frameworks, and coordinated security operations to monitor border activities and respond to threats.
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The development came at a time Nigeria faces mounting pressure over its inability to effectively police its borders with Niger, Benin, Chad, and Cameroon.
A 2026 report presented before the House of Representatives revealed a severe surveillance deficit across the country's northern frontiers. According to the report, fewer than 90 out of nearly 2,000 international entry routes are actively manned by security personnel, leaving more than 1,000 illegal crossing routes unmonitored.
Security analysts said the gaps have contributed significantly to the movement of illegal arms, traffickers, and armed groups into the country.
An estimated 70 per cent of illegal small arms circulating across West Africa are believed to end up in Nigeria, worsening terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and separatist violence in several regions.
Speaking on the significance of the U.S. tour, Ndukwu said one of the key lessons he hopes to observe is how American agencies coordinate security operations through technology and shared intelligence systems rather than relying solely on physical barriers.
"Nigeria has border problems that are not so different from what the U.S. deals with," he said.
"What I want to bring back is a simple understanding of how different agencies work together and how technology is used to monitor and control movement."
Ndukwu added that the experience could encourage Nigerians to ask tougher questions about why similar surveillance systems and coordinated frameworks are not being aggressively implemented along the country's borders.
Unlike the centralised operational structure of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Nigeria's border management system has repeatedly faced criticism over institutional rivalry, weak intelligence-sharing, and delayed operational responses among agencies.
Beyond the security implications, Ndukwu said the invitation signals growing international recognition for African filmmakers and digital storytellers in global policy discussions.
"It tells me that the U.S. sees Nigerian creatives as people worth investing in," he said.
"When a government flies a filmmaker across the world to show them how they operate, that is not a small thing."
The filmmaker noted that such exchanges also improve bilateral understanding between Washington and Abuja while giving African storytellers direct access to international security conversations.
"This is a chance to be in the room, see things firsthand, and bring that back to African audiences directly," he said.
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"Every time an African filmmaker gets that kind of access, it opens the door wider for the next one."
Ndukwu further stated that the experience is likely to reshape how he approaches stories around migration, border governance, and transnational crime.
"There is a big difference between reading about something and actually being there," he said.
"After this tour, when I cover border security or migration, I will be telling those stories from experience, not just research."
While experts caution that the American border model may not entirely align with African realities, many believe lessons around surveillance technology, intelligence-led operations, and coordinated security management could still provide Nigeria with practical strategies for addressing a crisis that continues to threaten national stability and regional security.
