The President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, has pledged ECOWAS support for the modernization of Quranic schools across West Africa as part of a strategic effort to tackle terrorism, violent extremism, and Almajiri-related poverty.

Touray spoke at the closing ceremony of the first West African Islamic Conference on Security and Governance, held from November 4–6 in Abuja. The conference, organized by ECOWAS in partnership with Jam’iyyatu Ansariddeen Attijaniyya, focused on “The Role of Islamic Organizations in Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism in West Africa and the Sahel.”

Highlighting the role of traditional Quranic schools—Tsangaya, Makaranta, and Daara—in shaping youth, Touray stressed that modernizing these institutions is vital to prevent radicalization and protect vulnerable children.

“We must modernize and reform these schools to become centers of learning and economic empowerment. Protecting these schools, their students, and teachers will end street begging, child abuse, and vulnerability to radicalization and recruitment by extremist groups,” he said.

Touray commended Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal for initiatives aimed at improving religious and secular education and reiterated ECOWAS’s commitment to working with governments, the UN, and other stakeholders to implement joint projects supporting Quranic schools.

The conference concluded with a Regional Declaration on Improving Islamic Education and Countering Violent Extremism, calling for coordinated cross-border approaches, strengthened governance, and engagement of Islamic organizations in promoting peace, tolerance, and social cohesion.

Emir of Kano, Mohammadu Sanusi II, also emphasized the urgent need to address terrorism and extremism, noting that over 40 million children in West Africa remain out of school and terrorism-related deaths have surged by 250% over the past decade.