According to reports, President Bola Tinubu attended the 68th Ordinary Session of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Authority of Heads of State and Government at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja on Sunday. Vice President Kashim Shettima led Nigeria’s delegation, marking the first time he has headed the country’s team at an ECOWAS summit held on home soil, while President Tinubu remained in the country for undisclosed reasons.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The summit, which began at 3:00 p.m. local time, featured a “special debate on the future of the Community,” according to a draft agenda. Several West African leaders were present, including President Julius Bio of Sierra Leone, President Patrice Talon of Benin, José Maria Neves of Cabo Verde, Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire, Adama Barrow of The Gambia, John Mahama of Ghana, Umaro Embaló of Guinea-Bissau, Joseph Boakai of Liberia, Bassirou Faye of Senegal, and Faure Gnassingbé of Togo.

The public session included opening remarks from the host, statements by ECOWAS Commission President Dr. Omar Touray, and an address by Chair Julius Bio. Leaders also heard presentations from UNOWAS Chief Leonardo Santos Simão and African Union Commissioner Bankole Adeoye before moving into a closed-door session.

Key agenda items included the 2025 State of the Community report, updates from the Mediation and Security Council, and the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme. Special reports focused on Guinea-Bissau, the recent attempted coup in Benin, confirmation of the host state for the West African Health Organisation headquarters, and the political transition in Guinea.

The summit comes after five years of political upheaval in West Africa, including coups in Mali (2020, 2021), Burkina Faso (twice in 2022), and Niger (2023), which led to withdrawals from ECOWAS by the juntas in Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. The region’s latest challenges include the attempted coup in Benin on December 7, 2025, and renewed instability in Guinea-Bissau, described by former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan as a “ceremonial coup.”

Following the Benin coup attempt, President Tinubu deployed jets and troops in response to requests from the Beninese government. The Nigerian Senate approved the deployment on December 9 to restore calm. Around 200 West African soldiers, mainly from Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire, are assisting Benin. Analysts note that the country’s stability has significant economic implications for Nigeria, particularly regarding cargo flow through the Cotonou port, the Sèmè border crossing, and China’s 2,000-kilometre Niger–Benin export pipeline.

Leaders at the summit are expected to discuss proposals for tighter security cooperation, sanctions mechanisms, and economic integration measures, including the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme. The session will also review Dr. Touray’s report and schedule the 69th Ordinary Session.