Abuja Becomes Diplomatic Hotspot As Tinubu Hosts ECOWAS Leaders For Explosive 67th Summit

This high-profile gathering comes six months after the previous session in December 2024 and marks the end of Tinubu’s second term as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority. He was re-elected to the position on July 7, 2024, having first assumed office on July 9, 2023.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The 67th Session convenes at a critical moment for the region, following the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger Republic from ECOWAS—three countries now under military rule.

The summit is expected to focus on internal challenges within the bloc, escalating insecurity, the erosion of democratic governance, and the push for stronger economic integration among member nations.

Speaking a day earlier at the inaugural West Africa Economic Summit (WAES), held at the newly inaugurated Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, President Tinubu called for a new approach to resource management in the region.

He stated, “The era of simply moving minerals from pit to port must end. We must convert our mineral resources into real economic value, employment, technology, and local manufacturing.”

Tinubu stressed the importance of value addition, saying the practice of exporting raw materials has severely limited West Africa’s prospects for sustainable development.

He also raised concerns over the region’s dismal intra-ECOWAS trade, which currently accounts for less than 10 percent of total trade among member countries.

“Opportunity alone won’t bring transformation. The global economy won’t wait for West Africa to get its act together — nor should we expect it to,” he warned.

The Nigerian leader called for urgent prioritization of coordinated policies, infrastructure development, and the building of regional supply chains to unlock the region’s full economic potential.

Emphasizing West Africa’s youthful population as a vital asset, Tinubu cautioned that without significant investments in education, technology, and entrepreneurship, the demographic dividend could become a liability.

“Our future prosperity depends on shared energy systems, data infrastructure, and strong regional supply networks. If we don’t build them together, we risk failure in isolation,” he said.

President Tinubu urged his counterparts in ECOWAS to move beyond lofty commitments and focus on delivering actionable outcomes.

“Whether it’s the Lagos-Abidjan highway, the West African Power Pool, or collaborative efforts in the creative sector, our joint initiatives prove what’s possible through unity,” he said. “But we must go further — from bold declarations to tangible projects, from policy to execution.”