Nigeria Reaffirms Commitment to ECOWAS Leadership

Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as new statutory appointees assume office in Abuja. The assurance was given by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, during a handover ceremony for outgoing and incoming ECOWAS officials.

Enikanolaiye conveyed greetings from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and described the transition as a continuation of the pursuit of regional integration established over 50 years ago. He urged the new leadership to focus on the vision of a united and prosperous West Africa, emphasizing the need for an “ECOWAS of citizens and not of governments.” The incoming management is tasked with prioritizing the implementation of ECOWAS Vision 2050, which includes free movement, intra-regional trade, infrastructure development, and job creation.

Enikanolaiye also highlighted the importance of financial accountability and called for stronger engagement with the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) for regional peace and security.