West Africa's ECOWAS bloc needs up to $2.6 billion a year for security force

West Africa's regional bloc, ECOWAS, needs up to $2.6 billion annually to establish a 5,000-strong security force to combat terrorism, according to defense officials at a meeting on Thursday.

In Abuja, ECOWAS defense and finance ministers discussed the force's size and funding requirements. The region faces political crises, worsened by military coups in Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali since 2020.

These juntas have cut ties with Western forces and invited Russian support. Nigerian Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru Abubakar outlined two options: a $2.6 billion force of 5,000 troops or a $481 million force of 1,500 troops, emphasizing the need for critical review given financial constraints.

The force will focus on fighting terrorism, not reversing coups, with contributions from all member states, including those under suspension.