…says member states outperformed continent in previous year
The President of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS Commission, Omar Alieu Touray, on Thursday, disclosed that the region is targeting 5% growth in 2026.
Touray, who disclosed this in a meeting with partners, said the region did not do badly in the previous year.
He said the sub-region recorded 4.6% growth, outperforming the continent.
“The annual report that hopefully you will all get indicates that global economic growth has slowed down in 2025, and although inflation eased relatively, uncertainty remains high. Yet in the midst of these global headwinds, Africa, our continent, continues to demonstrate remarkable resilience. Growth is recovering, inflation is declining, and political stability has improved in a number of regions.
“This resilience is also evident within our own community, our own West African community. In 2025, the region outperformed the continental average. Growth was 4.6% and is expected to get to 5% in 2026, and this is for ECOWAS.”
The Commission’s president attributed the growth recorded to the various reforms undertaken by the member states.
He said, “This robust performance is driven by structural reforms, rising investment in mining and energy, improvement in regional trade facilitation, and a strong rebound in services, transport, and tourism. Although inflation remains elevated, we have noticed some fall, and in some cases very sharp fall, and that fall has been helped by coordinated monetary policies and better food supply conditions across member states. Fiscal deficits have narrowed significantly as governments strengthen revenue mobilisation and rationalise public expenditure.
“Our debt-to-GDP ratio has also declined modestly, reflecting strong nominal growth and improved macroeconomic management. Our external position remains sound. The regional current account surplus has strengthened, bolstered by high export earnings from oil, gold, and bauxite, as well as improved primary income balances.”
Touray also disclosed that the commission placed high attention on insecurity in the year under review, stressing that ECOWAS intensified preventive diplomacy, mediation, and democratic support across the region.
He also disclosed that we have registered progress in combating organised crime and terrorism.
He said, “Excellencies, if we look at the various sectors and the various areas of our activity, we will see that in the area of peace and security, our preoccupation remains with growing insecurity that some areas of the region continue to suffer from. Therefore, peace and security remain at the heart of our mandate. In 2025, ECOWAS intensified preventive diplomacy, mediation, and democratic support across the region.
“We also continue to address the implications of the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, while keeping our doors open for constructive engagement. Our Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff completed the rotation of ECOWAS Stand-by Force and reinforced preparations for both the ECOWAS Stand-by Force and the 1,650-strong Counter-Terrorism Brigade. An assessment mission during the year to the Gambia and Guinea-Bissau underscored the need for enhanced training, strengthened monitoring and evaluation, as well as a clear exit strategy for ECOWAS missions in both the Gambia and Guinea-Bissau.
“We have also registered progress in combating organised crime and terrorism. The ECOWAS Commission formally took over the West Africa Police Information System after 12 years under Interpol. However, reduced security cooperation with the AES bloc has complicated counter-terrorism efforts.
“While attacks declined slightly, fatalities increased due to the rising use of improvised explosive devices. To strengthen arms control, the Commission donated weapons marking machines to four Member States, and this seeks to improve accountability and tracing.”
On integration of the region, Touray disclosed that the second phase of the free movement and migration project was launched during the year, and the ECOVISA online portal was also validated.
He added, “Seven of our Member States are now implementing the ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card. The seventh one and the most recent one is the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“A cross-border cooperation also intensified during the year, benefiting border communities, especially women. Informal cross-border trade data collection has also improved. With Ghana publishing its first national report in 2025.
As a community, we submitted the revised consolidated regional offer on trading services under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement. And nearly all Member States have ratified the African Continental Free Trade Area. Our support to women and youth has yielded some results.”
ECOWAS President also disclosed that no fewer than 1,300 small-scale cross-border traders and 50 women-led SMEs benefited from capacity building, while digital skills training expanded opportunities for rural women.
He also noted that 2025 witnessed the inaugural ECOWAS Trade and Investment Forum and Exhibition as part of the region’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
He said, “Within the Customs Union, we expanded the electronic certificate of origin pilot, advanced tax harmonization, and connected six Member States to the SIGMAT e-hub, which seeks to facilitate and fasten customs procedures. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, ECOWAS continued to place vulnerable populations at the centre of its work.
“We worked hard to strengthen the capacities of women, particularly in conditions of insecurity. We’ve also supported women against anti-trafficking and gender-based violence. Efforts to support women cured of fistula expanded through financial assistance and local production of sanitary products. Over around 8 million U.S. dollars was committed to humanitarian emergencies and disaster risk reduction.”
He also listed other efforts to include drug rehabilitation services, which is expanded to cover 10 centers across the region.
Touray said the region in 2025 carried out educational, technical, and vocational training initiatives.
“With respect to infrastructure, energy, digitalization, and environment, we continue to promote clean, secure, and affordable energy. Under the Pro-Sem2 initiative, regulatory agencies received support to design tariff models and operational guidelines for renewable energy systems. More than 42 million U.S. dollars were mobilized for the Regional Roads Network preparatory studies.
“Preparations advanced for the prior Dakar-Abidjan corridor, supported by the African Development Bank. We also worked to strengthen aviation safety through the establishment of the regional pool of AFSEC experts. In digital connectivity, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Nigeria were identified as regional internet exchange point hubs, and preparations for a second submarine cable were completed.
“Seven member states are now implementing bilateral roaming arrangements. On the environment, ECOWAS advocated globally for the protection of the Upper Guinea Forest and Futa Jalon Highland, and established a regional carbon market framework. Our food security initiatives improved seed regulations, fortified floor reserves, and expanded school feeding to over 30,000 school children.”
“We also strengthened sanitary and phytosanitary measures and supported women cooperatives to enhance regional agricultural trade.
“With regard to our institutional capacity building, the Commission completed its 2025-2027 medium-term expenditure framework across all institutions and validated the ECOWAS risk management framework. A mid-term review of the community strategic framework was also undertaken.
“Excellencies, now turning to our institutions, you will find that our ECOWAS Court of Justice continues to provide justice within the community. Forty-five decisions were delivered, and the Court also continued its outreach activities. Our West African Health Organization also strengthened epidemic preparedness and procured essential medical equipment”.
He also highlighted the role of ECOWAS in aborting the attempted coup in the Republic of Benin.
“And not only did ECOWAS confine itself to condemnation, but ECOWAS also took drastic measures, very rapid intervention, to send the right message to the world that the region stands for no coup, there is zero tolerance for anti-constitutional behaviour in the region. And we continue to maintain that position,” he said.
On the position of the region in Guinea-Bissau, he said, “The message of ECOWAS was very clear. ECOWAS calls for a short transition led by an inclusive government, and the government must have a limited mandate just to prepare, just to undertake constitutional reforms, electoral reforms, and prepare for free and fair elections.”
On why ECOWAS did not act on the result of the Presidential election in Guinea-Bissau, Touray said the result of the poll was destroyed, and so there was nothing to hold on to.
This, he stressed, explained the decision to give the junta a short transition period.
