The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has announced plans to activate a 260,000-strong counter-terrorism brigade in a bold move to confront escalating insecurity across the sub-region.
ECOWAS President Omar Alieu Touray, represented by the bloc’s Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Amb. Abdel-Fatau Musah, disclosed the plan at the African Chiefs of Defence Staff Summit 2025 in Abuja. The summit, themed “Combating contemporary threats to regional peace and security in Africa: the role of strategic Defence collaboration,” gathered military leaders from across the continent.
$2.5 Billion Needed for Regional Force
Touray explained that the brigade would require $2.5 billion annually for logistics and financial support to frontline states.
“There is no denying that West Africa, in particular the Sahel sub-region, has emerged as the epicenter of global terrorism, with several analytical surveys indicating that the Sahel accounted for 51% of global terrorism deaths in 2024 alone,” Touray said.
He added that ECOWAS will host a meeting of finance and defense ministers this Friday in Abuja to finalize funding modalities.
The bloc also hopes for international backing, urging the United Nations to honor its commitment under UN Security Council Resolution 2719 (2023) to fund 75 percent of African-led peace operations.
UN Warns Africa Is Epicenter of Global Terrorism
United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed called on African leaders to take ownership of the continent’s security, warning that violent extremism, cyber warfare, and climate change were compounding threats.
“Africa today is the epicenter of global terrorism deaths. Attacks in West Africa’s coastal states have surged by 250 percent in just two years,” Mohammed said.
She noted that 14,000 schools in the Sahel have been shut down due to conflict, raising fears of a “lost generation.” Mohammed also cautioned that artificial intelligence and social media were fueling new risks, while climate change — including the shrinking Lake Chad Basin, which has displaced more than three million people — was aggravating insecurity.
“Security cannot be pursued in isolation. It is inseparable from development, human rights, and climate resilience,” she said.
Tinubu Calls for United African Defence Strategy
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, urged African nations to adopt a continental defence doctrine built on trust, intelligence sharing, and coordinated action.
“From the deserts where insurgency festers, to the high seas where piracy prowls, from the silent corridors of cybercrime to the ruthless networks of transnational criminals, none of these tragedies respects borders,” Tinubu said.
He proposed creating a permanent African Chiefs of Defence Staff Forum for continuous dialogue and operational coordination, stressing that Africa must transition from being a consumer of foreign technology to a creator of indigenous defence innovations.
“Africa cannot remain merely a consumer of technology; we must be creators, innovators, and owners of the tools that secure our tomorrow,” he declared.
Growing Terrorist Threats Across Africa
Former Nigerian presidential aide Prof. Ibrahim Gambari warned that over 1,000 insurgent groups currently operate across Africa. He urged the continent to strengthen its defence industries and build homegrown security architecture.
Out of 54 invited nations, 36 countries were represented at the summit. Notably, Mali and Burkina Faso were absent — a likely consequence of strained relations with ECOWAS following political tensions in the Sahel.
Former Guinean Prime Minister Lansana Kouyaté called the meeting historic, emphasizing that sustainable development cannot exist without peace.
“For the first time, the Chiefs of Defence of the whole continent are together. This shows how important the subject is — without peace, there is no development,” he said.
Key Takeaway
As terrorism, cybercrime, and climate-related insecurity deepen across Africa, ECOWAS’ 260,000-member counter-terrorism brigade represents one of the most ambitious security initiatives yet. The coming weeks — particularly Friday’s Abuja meeting of ministers — will determine whether the region can mobilize the $2.5 billion needed to turn this vision into a reality.