President Bola Tinubu inaugurates the new headquarters of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Abuja, according to multiple Nigerian outlets. In statements and reports from the commissioning, Tinubu says the facility is meant to renew West Africa’s commitment to regional integration, peace, industrialisation and shared prosperity. The commissioning is described as a symbol of renewal and confidence in the bloc’s future, with Tinubu represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima in one account.
Tinubu also highlights ECOWAS achievements including peace-building, democratic governance, economic cooperation, and the free movement of people, goods and services. At the same time, he points to ongoing regional challenges such as terrorism and violent extremism, economic vulnerability, food insecurity, climate change, and public health issues. He calls for a shift toward a regional production base, saying integration should be driven more by what countries produce and manufacture than by what they consume.
The reports further note remarks by ECOWAS leadership, including Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio and ECOWAS Commission President Dr Omar Touray. They also reference partnerships behind the project, including financing by China, and suggest the complex is expected to improve coordination for regional transformation.
