ECOWAS activates counter-terrorism brigade with $2.5bn annual funding to fight insurgency in West Africa and strengthen regional peace and security

ECOWAS activates counter-terrorism brigade as part of a historic $2.5 billion regional initiative to combat escalating terrorist threats across West Africa, particularly the Sahel region.

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The plan, unveiled at the 2025 African Chiefs of Defence Staff Summit in Abuja, will see the formation of a 260,000-strong rapid deployment force, designed to respond swiftly to extremist threats and support frontline states.

President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray—represented by Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah—said the annual funding will cover logistics, deployment, and financial support for nations on the frontlines of terrorism.

“The Sahel has become the epicentre of global terrorism, accounting for 51% of related deaths in 2024 alone,” Touray stated. “We can no longer delay a coordinated and well-resourced regional response.”

While a 5,000-man standby force under the African Peace and Security Architecture is still in the works, Touray said the scale and urgency of today’s asymmetric threats demanded more.

The rapid deployment brigade is now a strategic necessity, not a backup option.

ECOWAS will convene a meeting of Finance and Defence Ministers this Friday in Abuja to finalize funding modalities, aiming to raise the $2.5 billion annual budget.

Touray also urged international partners, including the African Union and United Nations, to support the initiative specifically citing the UN Security Council Resolution 2719, which pledged to fund 75% of African-led peace operations.

Former Nigerian Minister of External Affairs, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, highlighted a dire reality: Africa is currently contending with more than 1,000 insurgent groups.

He called for investment in indigenous defence industries and technology.

“We must strengthen our homegrown capacity to fight threats and reduce dependence on external powers,” Gambari said.

He advocated for building a custom African security architecture focused on human security, cooperation, and military interoperability.

Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, echoed those sentiments, warning that Africa’s security threats now span beyond physical borders—reaching cyberspace, AI, and digital warfare.

Musa emphasized collaboration, innovation, and modernization as essential pillars of the region’s defence future.

“Let us rise above division and embrace unity. Let us build a continent where our people can live free from fear,” Musa declared.

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The summit’s resounding message was clear: Africa must not only respond to terrorism—it must lead the response, with strategy, strength, and solidarity.