President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday acknowledged the great feat the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, has achieved, saying for nearly five decades, the bloc has remained a pillar of regional development, cooperation, and solidarity.
He reaffirmed that Nigeria will remain committed to the idea of establishing the regional bloc, emphasising the country’s historic and continuing role in shaping West Africa’s path to peace, integration, and shared prosperity.
Tinubu spoke at the 50th anniversary celebration of ECOWAS, held in Lagos.
“Nigeria has stood at the heart of ECOWAS since its inception in 1975,” President Tinubu declared during his address at the commemorative event.
“For nearly five decades, we have remained a pillar of regional development, cooperation, and solidarity.”
Reflecting on the community’s founding, President Tinubu paid glowing tribute to Nigeria’s former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, the only surviving leader among the original signatories of the ECOWAS Treaty.
“General Gowon helped lay the cornerstone of what has become a formidable institution for unity in West Africa,” he noted.
President Tinubu spotlighted Nigeria’s consistent contributions, particularly through initiatives like the Technical Aid Corps, which for nearly 40 years has deployed skilled professionals to serve in various ECOWAS member states.
“We remain ready to support regional capacity-building and honour every eligible request for assistance,” he affirmed.
Nigeria, the President said, has been a driving force in ECOWAS’s evolution, from promoting trade and free movement to supporting peacekeeping and democratic governance.
He particularly cited successes such as the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme, joint border initiatives, and interventions to restore constitutional order in troubled member states as hallmarks of the community’s achievements.
“ECOWAS has emerged as a beacon of African unity,” Tinubu said.
“We overcame colonial-era divisions to forge a shared vision, uniting Anglophone, Francophone, and Lusophone nations under one cooperative umbrella.”
Acknowledging these strides, President Tinubu cautioned that regional integration must move beyond policy to tangible outcomes. “Our greatest task is implementation. Our citizens must feel the impact of our decisions. Let us match words with action,” he urged.
