The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has announced plans to activate a 260,000-strong rapid deployment counter-terrorism brigade, backed by an annual $2.5bn funding requirement, in what could become Africa’s boldest regional security initiative yet.
The decision was unveiled at 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 Commission President Omar Touray, represented by Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, warned of the rising threats.
“West Africa, particularly the Sahel, has emerged as the epicentre of global terrorism, accounting for 51 per cent of worldwide terrorism deaths in 2024. We cannot afford inaction,” Touray said.
Escalating Terrorism Burden: Nigerians Paid N2.23 Trillion In Ransom In 2024
A December 2024 survey report from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) stated that 614,937 Nigerians were killed and 2.2 million were kidnapped between May 2023 and April 2024.
The government distanced itself from the report, which has since disappeared. It makes for grim reading.
Meanwhile, Nigeria remains one of the hardest-hit nations. According to the 2025 Global Terrorism Index (GTI), Nigeria ranked sixth globally with a score of 7.658, rising from eighth place in previous years.
In 2024 alone, 565 people were killed in terrorism-related attacks, up from 533 deaths in 2023. Recent high-profile incidents highlight the scale of the crisis:
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The Tarmuwa massacre in Yobe (Sept. 2024) killed 130 civilians.
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Suicide bombings in Gwoza, Borno (June 2024) left 32 dead.
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A Konduga attack in June 2025 claimed up to 24 lives.
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Militants stormed Kwallajiya village in Sokoto (July 2025), killing at least 15 people.
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The Katsina mosque massacre (August 2025) left over 50 worshippers dead.
Beyond lives lost, the economic burden is staggering. Reports show that in 2024, Nigeria paid ₦2.23 trillion in ransom payments, while allocating ₦3.85 trillion to security and defence.
Analysts argue this vicious cycle weakens national resilience, making a regional intervention vital.
Why the $2.5bn Fund Matters for Nigeria
Against this backdrop, the newly proposed $2.5 billion counterterrorism strategy is seen as critical for Nigeria and other ECOWAS member States.
Security analysts argue that without robust funding, the cycle of insurgency and poverty will persist.
The plan is expected to focus on intelligence gathering, military equipment, rehabilitation of displaced persons, and tackling the root causes of extremism.
Observers warn that failure to act decisively could see extremist groups expand their influence, destabilising not only Nigeria but also the wider West African region, where cross-border attacks are rising.
Security experts highlight several reasons the ECOWAS initiative is critical for Nigeria:
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Shared Burden – Nigeria alone cannot contain insurgencies that spread across borders; regional forces spread the cost.
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Operational Scale – Pooling resources ensures mobility and logistics that Nigerian forces often lack.
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Technological Edge – The initiative promises to integrate drones, cyber-defence, and AI-driven surveillance.
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International Leverage – A regional framework strengthens Africa’s hand in demanding UN and donor funding.
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Preventive Strategy – Enhanced intelligence and rapid deployment reduce ransom payments and reconstruction costs.
ECOWAS Calls for International Support
Touray noted that while ECOWAS remains committed to its 5,000-man Standby Force under the African Peace and Security Architecture, the 260,000-strong brigade was necessary given the scale of asymmetric threats.
“This initiative requires the necessary financial resources and capabilities. By launching it, ECOWAS is throwing the gauntlet to bilateral and multilateral partners.
"We expect the United Nations to redeem its pledge under Resolution 2719 of December 2023 to fund 75 per cent of African-led peace operations,” he said.
Touray also announced steps to operationalise a regional maritime security strategy, including three maritime centres and a coordination hub in Abuja to tackle piracy and transnational organised crime.
He disclosed that ECOWAS Defence and Finance Ministers would meet in Abuja this Friday to finalise modalities for raising the $2.5bn annual budget, which will fund logistics, deployments, and direct support to frontline states battling insurgency.
Gambari: Africa Must Own Its Security
Former Nigerian Minister of External Affairs, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, warned that Africa is facing over 1,000 insurgent groups, citing research by the African Research Network for Regional and Global Governance Innovation.
“Most regional blocs are battling terrorism, banditry, and insurgency. Our nations must secure their borders, strengthen defence industries, and own their technologies if we are to overcome these threats,” Gambari said.
He called for interoperability of weapons, shared intelligence, common military doctrines, and improved airlift capacity, arguing that Africa’s reliance on external forces must end.
Defence Chiefs Push for Collaboration
Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, told the summit that Africa stood “on the edge of unprecedented opportunity,” but warned that terrorism, extremism, piracy, and climate-induced conflict were undermining progress.
“These challenges know no borders. They demand a response that is unified and strategic,” Musa said.
“The enemy is within. As defence chiefs, we must modernise our forces. Without investment, it will be difficult to achieve the security we desire,” he cautioned.
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