The maiden West Africa Economic Summit (WAES) is underway at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja, with President Tinubu in attendance.
Presidents of Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Senegal, The Gambia, Benin, Togo, and Guinea-Bissau have confirmed their participation at the summit.
The Economic Summit, which enters its second and final day on Saturday, precedes the 67th Ordinary Summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), scheduled at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, on Sunday, June 22, 2025.
The summit, an initiative of President Tinubu in his capacity as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, is the first of its kind and is convened to deepen regional economic integration. Its strong focus is on enhancing trade and investment cooperation across the subregion.
It is expected to yield concrete outcomes and deliverables to fast-track West Africa’s integration agenda as a critical foundation for sustainable peace, security, and prosperity in the region.
Those attending the summit are Ministers of Finance, Trade, Infrastructure, and Foreign Affairs from the ECOWAS Member States, as well as representatives from regional economic bodies such as the West African Monetary Agency (WAMA), West African Monetary Institute (WAMI), ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat.
Private sector leaders, development partners, and policy experts are also participating.
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