The National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (NACSA) is participating in the 2026 West Africa Border Security Week, which is underway at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra.

The three-day sub-regional forum brings together border management authorities, government security institutions and technology providers from across West Africa and beyond to discuss emerging approaches to border security and management.

This year's event is being held under the theme, “Intelligent Border Management: Balancing Security, Trade, and Mobility in a Digital Age.”

The forum has attracted key stakeholders, including Deputy Minister for the Interior, Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi; Chief of Mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Ghana, Fatou Ndiaye Dialo; and representatives from immigration services in Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone and The Gambia.

Also participating are officials from the civil aviation and customs authorities of Ghana and Nigeria, the Ministry of the Interior and the National Central Bureau of INTERPOL Ghana.

Technology and industry partners at the forum include Somapa Information Technology, Foster + Freeman, Integrated Biometrics, Motorola Solutions, Regula, SITA and X Infotech.

The companies are showcasing technologies and expertise in areas including biometrics, identity verification, document examination, digital identity, border control, communications and data-driven security solutions.

Representing NACSA on the first day of the forum are its Acting Head of Communications, Rev. Carl Anyetei Sowah; Acting Head of Programmes, Abdul Jaleel Suleiman; and Acting Head of Operations, Emmanuel Felix Mantey.

For NACSA, the forum provides an opportunity to strengthen cooperation among border management and security institutions in the fight against the illicit movement of arms across West African borders.

The Commission said stronger border controls, timely intelligence-sharing and coordinated action among relevant institutions were critical to identifying and disrupting illicit arms flows and addressing the cross-border dimensions of small arms and light weapons proliferation.

The forum is expected to provide a platform for participants to explore how digital technologies and enhanced regional cooperation can improve border security while facilitating legitimate trade and movement across the sub-region.