The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has announced plans to activate a 260,000-strong counter-terrorism brigade, with an estimated annual budget of $2.5 billion to strengthen security across West Africa.
This was revealed by ECOWAS Commission President, Omar Touray, during the 2025 African Chiefs of Defence Staff Summit in Abuja, themed “Combating Contemporary Threats to Regional Peace and Security in Africa: The Role of Strategic Defence Collaboration.”
ECOWAS Counter-Terrorism Brigade in the Sahel
Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, who represented Touray, said the new ECOWAS counter-terrorism brigade will provide logistics and financial backing to frontline states grappling with insecurity.
He stressed that the Sahel region has now become the epicentre of global terrorism, accounting for 51% of worldwide terrorism-related deaths in 2024. Touray emphasized that the rapid deployment of the force is not optional but a necessity for West Africa’s survival.
👉 Learn more about Nigeria’s recent infrastructure and security projects in our Property Media Week coverage here.
Funding the ECOWAS Counter-Terrorism Brigade:
To activate the 260,000-man force, ECOWAS member states will convene a meeting of Ministers of Finance and Defence this Friday in Abuja to finalise funding modalities. The bloc is targeting $2.5 billion annually, while also calling on the United Nations to redeem its pledge under UN Security Council Resolution 2719 to fund 75% of African-led peace support operations.
Touray added that ECOWAS is urging bilateral and multilateral partners to complement this initiative, as terrorism continues to undermine economic growth and regional stability.
Alongside the counter-terrorism initiative, ECOWAS is advancing its integrated maritime security strategy with three regional centres and an international hub in Abuja, designed to combat piracy and transnational organised crime across West Africa’s waters.
For related insights, see our feature on how infrastructure development impacts economic growth in Nigeria.
Africa’s Security Challenges: Over 1,000 Insurgent Groups
Former Nigerian Minister of External Affairs, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, also spoke at the summit, warning that Africa is facing more than 1,000 insurgent groups. He stressed the need for homegrown defence industries and indigenous technologies to reduce reliance on foreign solutions.
He noted: “Africa must first secure its nations before securing the region and the continent at large.
The activation of the ECOWAS counter-terrorism brigade marks a bold step toward protecting the Sahel and West Africa at large. With effective funding, logistics, and international support, this initiative could significantly reduce terrorism-related fatalities, boost peace, and restore stability across the region.
