The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, says the regional bloc needs about $2.61 billion to operationalise its proposed 5,000-strong ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF).
Touray made the disclosure on Friday in Abuja at a joint meeting of ECOWAS Ministers of Finance and Defence convened to finalise funding modalities for the regional anti-terrorism force.
He warned that terrorism in West Africa poses a grave threat to integration and stability, citing the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2025, which ranked Africa as the world’s new terrorism epicentre, overtaking the Middle East. According to him, the Sahel has been hardest hit due to political instability, weak governance, and prolonged conflicts.
“The emergence of terrorist group activities within and around West Africa has become a matter of serious concern to governments and citizens of the region,” Touray said. “It threatens trade, investment, regional commerce, and the free movement of people and goods.”
Touray explained that ECOWAS had adopted a multi-dimensional response, including a comprehensive counter-terrorism strategy, the establishment of the standby force, and regional collaboration on intelligence, training, and humanitarian interventions.
Nigeria’s Defence Minister, Mohammed Abubakar, described the Abuja meeting as a critical step towards operationalising the force to combat terrorism, violent extremism, transnational crime, and unconstitutional power grabs.
“As we advance with these proposals, it is important to align our objectives with predictable, sustainable, and transparent funding mechanisms,” he said, listing options such as adjustments to the Community Levy, GDP-based contributions, blended financing, and partnerships.
Sierra Leone’s Deputy Defence Minister, Col. Brima Massaquoi (rtd), also stressed that counter-terrorism efforts must be backed by strong leadership, inclusive financing, and investment in intelligence and training infrastructure.
“The people of ECOWAS are counting on us, not only for protection but for leadership,” Abubakar added.
