President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, current chair of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, has urged leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to align their bold policy declarations with decisive action.
Speaking in Lagos on Wednesday at the 50th-anniversary celebration of ECOWAS, President Tinubu emphasized the need for the regional bloc to deliver tangible results, particularly for youth and women, who constitute the majority of the population.
While acknowledging ECOWAS’s historic achievements in regional integration, trade liberalization, peacekeeping, and democratic governance, President Tinubu asserted that the organization’s next chapter must be characterized by action, not just promises.
“We are lagging behind on implementation, and I urge all member states to match policy with action,” Tinubu said.
“Let our citizens feel the real impact of our shared efforts.”
Tinubu’s Call for Youth Empowerment
A key theme in Tinubu’s address was a strong appeal for youth empowerment and a smooth leadership transition across West Africa.
He emphasized that young people and women are not only the current drivers of the region’s progress but also its future custodians.
He urged member states to focus on their education, entrepreneurship, and leadership development.
“We must mentor them. Their success is the key to the future and stability and prosperity of ECOWAS,” he said. “We want to hand a banner without stain to you—the youth of West Africa.”
This call for generational inclusion marked a shift in tone, positioning ECOWAS not just as a legacy of its founding leaders but as a platform for a new, inclusive era of opportunity and growth.
Tinubu honoured the founding fathers of ECOWAS, specifically acknowledging General Yakubu Gowon, Nigeria’s former head of state and the sole living signatory of the 1975 treaty.
He also recognized the vital contributions of past ECOWAS leaders and staff who established the groundwork for regional unity.
Tinubu lauded the bloc’s success in uniting Anglophone, Francophone, and Lusophone nations, fostering free movement across borders, and establishing crucial institutions such as the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme and the ECOWAS Court of Justice.
Despite these significant achievements, Tinubu acknowledged the ongoing challenges confronting the bloc. These include persistent security threats, food crises, and gaps in policy implementation.
“Our greatest challenge now is implementation. The work of integration is never done. Each generation must carry the flame forward,” he added.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s longstanding leadership role in West Africa, Tinubu pledged continued support through initiatives like Nigeria’s Technical Aid Corps, which has contributed to regional capacity building for nearly four decades.
“For nearly 40 years, Nigeria has supported regional capacity building. We remain committed to deploy skilled professionals to ECOWAS countries,” he affirmed.
He also endorsed ECOWAS’s current efforts in critical areas such as regional security, counter-terrorism, digital transformation, and agricultural reform.
Tinubu cited initiatives like the ECOWAS Infrastructure Master Plan 2020–2045 and digital platforms such as Ecogo as examples of the bloc’s forward-looking strategies.
Tinubu delivered a visionary message, urging leaders and citizens alike to imagine and work towards a peaceful, borderless, and prosperous West Africa that leaves no one behind.
“Let us imagine a West Africa where our economies thrive through joint effort… where our people, diverse yet bound by destiny, work together towards peace, prosperity and justice.
“This golden jubilee is not merely a celebration of the past, but a summons to shape the future,” he stated.
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