Demonstaring his commitment to the anti-terror war, President Thomas Boni Yayi said at the weekend that the Republic of Benin will contribute 800 troops to the Miultinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF).
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The new pledge of 550 is higher than the 250 troops the Nigerian neighbour promised earlier in the year by the its President.
The MNJTF is a regional force comprising of troops from countries in the Lake Chad Basin including Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon. Its mandate is to combat the Nigeria-based extremist Boko Haram sect.
President Yayi made the announcement on Saturday during a one-day visit by President Muhammadu Buhari to the Republic of Benin.
Deployment of the regional force has been delayed for lack of funds.
At a meeting in Cameroon in February, Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger agreed to deploy around 8,700 troops, with Benin pledging 250.
The six-year-old uprising has killed thousands of people and dislodged millions from their homes. It assumed a regional dimension this year with regular attacks in Niger, Cameroon and Chad.
President Buhari also visited Cameroon on Wednesday in a bid to bolster support for the regional force. The President’s trip to Cameroon completed his consultations with leaders of the Lake Chad Basin nations.