Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, is hosting 11 of his counterparts at the 66th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja. The 12 presidents arrived around 2:00 pm for the meeting.
Tinubu, who has been serving as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority since June 2023 and was re-elected for a second term in June 2024, is leading the discussions at this session.
The meeting comes amid rising tensions, particularly following the announcement by Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger that they will withdraw from ECOWAS in January 2024. These three nations have criticized the regional bloc for abandoning its founding principles and yielding to external influences, particularly condemning the sanctions imposed following their military coups.
This withdrawal follows a series of military takeovers in Mali (2020-2021), Burkina Faso (2022), and Niger (2023), which led to their suspension from ECOWAS and strained relations with the bloc. In response, the three nations formed the Alliance of Sahel States, a new regional bloc focusing on defense and mutual support, while also distancing themselves from Western powers, especially France, and seeking closer ties with Russia.
In September 2024, Burkina Faso further signaled its withdrawal by introducing a new biometric passport without the ECOWAS emblem. This move has raised concerns about the future of ECOWAS, which will mark its 50th anniversary in 2025.
Sunday’s session will primarily focus on reviewing the bloc’s sanctions on the three withdrawing countries. During recent talks with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Tinubu emphasized that Nigeria would pursue diplomatic solutions to the political crises in these nations, ensuring that the sanctions do not unjustly punish ordinary citizens for the actions of military regimes.
The Heads of State will also discuss regional security, particularly the growing terrorism threat in the Sahel, and address political instability in member states. There will be a focus on encouraging faster transitions to civilian rule in the countries under military control.
Additionally, the session will explore steps to expedite the adoption of the ECO, the proposed single currency for ECOWAS, as part of the bloc’s ongoing efforts toward economic integration.
As of December 2024, the remaining ECOWAS member states are Benin Republic, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
