WAES 2025: Tinubu pushes for Inclusive Regional Cooperation, Investment

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Saturday, June 21, 2025, led West African leaders in a bold call for enhanced regional economic integration as he hosted the maiden West Africa Economic Summit (WAES) at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja.

 

The two-day summit, which concluded today, was convened by President Tinubu in his capacity as Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). It preceded the 67th Ordinary Summit of ECOWAS, scheduled for Sunday, June 22, 2025, at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.

 

According to a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, the President initiated WAES to deepen regional economic integration, with a strategic focus on expanding trade and investment cooperation among ECOWAS member states.

 

The summit is the first of its kind in West Africa and has brought together Heads of State and Government, ministers, policymakers, economic institutions, private sector leaders, and development partners to chart a new course for collective growth and prosperity in the region.

 

Confirmed participants included the Presidents of Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Senegal, The Gambia, Benin, Togo, and Guinea-Bissau. The summit is expected to produce concrete outcomes to fast-track the West African integration agenda, which President Tinubu described as “a critical foundation for sustainable peace, security, and prosperity.”

 

Also in attendance were Ministers of Finance, Trade, Infrastructure, and Foreign Affairs from ECOWAS Member States, along with representatives from regional institutions such as the West African Monetary Agency, the West African Monetary Institute, the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development, the West African Economic and Monetary Union, and the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat.

 

President Tinubu emphasized inclusive dialogue and regional cooperation, extending formal invitations to the Member States of the Alliance of Sahelian States and Mauritania, in a move that underscores his commitment to bridging divides and fostering a broader partnership for economic resilience.

 

To facilitate this outreach, the President dispatched a delegation of Special Envoys to deliver personal invitations to Heads of State and Government across the subregion. The delegation was led by Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and included Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and International Relations.

 

The presence of private sector leaders and development partners at WAES 2025 further reflected the growing recognition that regional integration must be driven by collaboration between governments and business communities in order to unlock the full potential of West Africa’s population and resources.

 

As the summit concluded, stakeholders are expected to unveil policy frameworks and partnerships aimed at improving cross-border trade, infrastructure connectivity, monetary cooperation, and investment flows paving the way for a stronger, united, and economically vibrant West Africa.

 

Related posts