President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on ECOWAS leaders to shift from making promises to taking concrete actions that directly benefit the people—especially young people and women.
Speaking on Wednesday in Lagos during the 50th anniversary celebration of ECOWAS, where he currently serves as chairman, Tinubu acknowledged the regional body’s progress in trade, peacekeeping, and unity but emphasized that much remains to be done.
“We are lagging behind on implementation. Let our citizens feel the real impact of our shared efforts,” he said.
The President urged leaders to empower youth and women by providing greater opportunities in education, entrepreneurship, and leadership roles. “We must mentor them. Their success is key to our future. We want to hand over a banner without stain to you—the youth of West Africa,” he added.
Tinubu also paid tribute to former Nigerian Head of State General Yakubu Gowon (retd.), the only surviving founder of ECOWAS, and praised the early leaders for their visionary efforts.
Highlighting achievements such as the integration of English, French, and Portuguese-speaking countries and the promotion of free movement across borders, he nevertheless acknowledged persistent challenges including insecurity, food shortages, and weak implementation of policies.
“Our biggest challenge now is implementation. The work of unity must continue,” Tinubu stressed.
He reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to supporting fellow West African nations through initiatives like the Technical Aid Corps, which deploys skilled professionals to member states.
Tinubu also expressed strong backing for new ECOWAS initiatives such as the Infrastructure Master Plan and the Ecogo digital platform, designed to modernize the region’s economies.
“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,” he concluded.