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Leaders mark ECOWAS at 50 with hope for brighter future

Leaders of Togo, Liberal and Guinea Bissau joined President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday in Lagos to mark the 50th anniversary of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The only surviving founding father of the sub-regional organisation, Gen. Yakubu Gowon was the cynosure of all eyes at the ceremony held inside the same hall at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) on Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, on May 28, 1975.

Gowon, 90, was Nigeria’s military head of state between 1967 and 1975.

His government was overthrown in a bloodless coup barely two months after in July 1975.

The highlight of the ceremony were the African Union (AU) expressed solidarity with sub-regional body with a combine 400m people, was the cutting of the 50th anniversary cake.

Presidents Umaro Sissoco Embaló (Guinea Bissau), Joseph Nyumah Boakai (Liberia) and Faure Gnassingbé (Togo) were at the event.

President Tinubu described ECOWAS as a beckon of African unity.

He charged leaders in the sub-region on the need to implement policies and programmes agreed to for the good of the citizens of the community.

Tinubu hailed Gen. Gowon and other founding fathers of the sub-regional body describing them as “Wise men of West Africa”.

The celebration has as a theme: stronger together for a Brighter Future”

Tinubu said: “ECOWAS is a beacon of African unity in overcoming colonial policies and legacies. We brought together anglophone, francophone and lusophone countries.”

He expressed concern that member states are lagging behind in the area of implementation of policies and programmes.

He urged them to invest on the people, especially the women and youth.

Tinubu who is also ECOWAS Chairman said: “Despite our progress, challenges remain. Our greatest task now is implementation. We are lagging behind on implementation, and I urge all member states to match policy with action.

“Let us, our citizens, feel the real impact of our shared efforts. Our young people, our young people are women, who have, who form the majority, must be at the heart of ECOWAS development. We must invest deliberately in their education, entrepreneurial development, health care, and leadership.

“We must mentor them. Their success is the key to the future and stability, prosperity of ECOWAS.”

“For nearly 40 years, Nigeria has supported regional capacity building through technical aid control.

“We remain committed to deploy skilled professionals to ECOWAS countries, and we continue to honour every eligible request. I promise you.”

He added: “As we look forward to the next 50 years, let us renew our contact with one another with courage, clarity, respect, and determination.”

Read Also: ECOWAS marks 50th anniversary in Lagos, charts vision for 2050

Speaking of the initiators of ECOWAS, Tinubu said they brought joy and ease to the region through their actions, describing them as true wise men.

He said: “That you brought us joy and ease. That you got together the instincts and determination of wise men. You are the wise men of West Africa”.

Recounting the beginning, General Gowon, said his interactions with fellow leader after Nigerian Civil war which ended in January, 1970 culminated in the formation of ECOWAS.

He recalled that he worked closely with former Togolese Present Gnassingbé Eyadema, the father of incumbent Togolese President Gnassingbé, who was present at yesterday’s event.

Gen. Gowon said: “The idea started soon after the civil war, when I went on a thank you visit to member States to thank them for their understanding and support, and was also engaged in entering into, similar bilateral agreement, with each President and Heads of State of the region then. But with General Gnassingbé Eyadema of Togo, we further discussed extending the idea beyond the bilateral level, to what is happening in some parts of the world e.g, in Europe, EEC, later EU, ECA in East Africa, Africa and Caribbean organization.

“We both agreed to get to work at it and got our respective Ministers of Economic and External Affairs to produce a working document for consideration. Prof. Adebayo Adedeji and Dr. Okoi Arikpo from Nigeria and Mr. Edem Kodjo and another from Togo and their staff set to work, getting other member States involved to produce a working document for consideration.”

He expressed his sadness over the withdrawal of the three-member countries -Burkina-Faso, Mali and Niger.

“ECOWAS was hopefully looking forward to a trouble-free peaceful golden jubilee this year, then the bombshell from the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) – Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, withdrawing from the Community. This came as a great concern to the Community which curtailed its 50 years of existence. It is sad that the Community is Celebrating its Jubilee short of the 50 years as full original membership.”

“Although ECOWAS had to reluctantly let them go as they decided, it is commendable of the Commission still leaving the door open and also consider giving the group (AES) to be joint partner and for ECOWAS now to be ECOWASS – ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES (and) SAHEL. It is still to maintain its original name and purpose.”

He however said despite the plight, there is reason to celebrate the milestone.

“But it is 50 years of the majority members of the Community and they should be duly Celebrated and let us say happy golden jubilee, ECOWAS”, he said.

Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, President, ECOWAS Commission said, “Today, ECOWAS

represents more than an Institution—it is a symbol of the enduring aspirations of over

400 million citizens.

He said: “In these five decades, our Community has made remarkable strides:

We have facilitated free movement across borders, allowing our people to travel,

trade, and connect without barriers. We have advanced intra-regional trade,

implemented a Common External Tariff, and developed critical regional

infrastructure, linking our capitals and markets. We have laid the groundwork for a single currency, built a regional electricity market, and extended digital connectivity across borders.

“We have stood together in the face of epidemics, insecurity, and natural disasters, offering humanitarian support and strengthening healthcare and food systems. We have invested in our most valuable resource—our people—by promoting gender equality, youth empowerment, and human capital development. We have upheld democracy, dispatched election observation missions, and deployed our Standby Force in defence of peace and regional stability.

“These achievements, while significant, are not merely chapters in our history. They are the building blocks of a future that we must continue to shape—together. The challenges we face today—terrorism, climate change, unconstitutional changes of government, poverty, and economic disparities—are formidable. But so too is our collective will.

“As I have often said, ECOWAS is better and stronger together as a Community. Our

strength lies in our unity, in our shared identity, and in the spirit of solidarity that

defines our Union.

“This 50th Anniversary is not only a moment for celebration, but it is also a moment for introspection, recalibration, and recommitment. Let us recommit to an ECOWAS of the

People—where peace, prosperity, and justice are not just ideals, but lived realities.”

Mahmoud Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), commended ECOWAS for acting decisively as a guardian of peace and a builder of dialogue amidst regional challenges.

Represented by the Deputy Chairperson of the AUC, Selma Haddadi, Youssouf

described the anniversary as a momentous milestone marking 50 years of perseverance, purpose, and progress in Africa’s collective journey.”

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar said that the anniversary is so important because “it reminds us of the vacuum that only common action and common purpose and common values can fill. The post-Cold War era is over: new divisions are emerging; technology is advancing at an extraordinary pace: the pressure on the old order is intense. It does not mean the arguments for multilateralism are diminished. On the contrary: we need ECOWAS more than ever to meet the challenge of unfiltered data, unregulated crypto currency, AI, climate change, organised crime, cyber-slavery and human trafficking and violent extremism. It is self-evident that institutions need to adapt to remain relevant. ECOWAS continues to move forward. It is our rich history and promise for the future.”

May 29, 2025
How ECOWAS idea started, by Yakubu Gowon

Nigeria’s former military head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, has shed light on the birth of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), tracing its origin to a conversation he had with the late Togolese leader, General Gnassingbé Eyadema, in the aftermath of Nigeria’s civil war.

Gowon made the revelation in Lagos during the 50th anniversary celebration of ECOWAS, held on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs on Kofo Abayomi Street, the same venue where the historic treaty establishing the regional bloc was signed by leaders of 15 West African nations on May 28, 1975.

The former Head of State, who remains the only living founding father of ECOWAS, recalled that the idea emerged during his visits across the sub-region to thank countries for their support and understanding during Nigeria’s civil war.

It was in the course of those diplomatic engagements, he said, that the vision for a united West African economic community began to take shape.

He said, “The idea started soon after the civil war, when I went on a thank you visit to member States to thank them for their understanding and support, and was also engaged in entering into, similar bilateral agreement, with each President and Heads of State of the region then. But with General Gnassingbé Eyadema of Togo, we further discussed extending the idea beyond the bilateral level, to what is happening in some parts of the world e.g, in Europe, EEC, later EU, ECA in East Africa, Africa and Caribbean organization.

“We both agreed to get to work at it and got our respective Ministers of Economic and External Affairs to produce a working document for consideration. Prof. Bayo Adedeji and Dr. Arikpo from Nigeria and Mr. Edem Kodjo and another from Togo and their staff set to work, getting other member States involved to produce a working document for consideration.

“Meanwhile, between me and President Eyadema, we were in constant contact with our other colleagues, English and French speaking President and Heads of States, to get their firm commitment to it and subsequently we succeeded to have the ECOWAS programme launched on 28th May, 1975 in Lagos as Lagos Treaty.”

He explained, “The Treaty of Lagos primary aim and objective is to promote Economic Co-operation and integration between and among the member States, focusing on achieving collective self-sufficiency and improving the citizens standard of living – the call for ECOWAS Community of the people not only for its leadership.”

Gowon said ECOWAS has made significant progress since then.

He noted that the regional body has implemented various policies and programmes, protocols and operations to stabilize entities such as Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea Bissau.

He said they have achieved “Trade Liberalization”, by introducing policies to reduce trade barriers and promoting intra-regional trade, thus increasing trade among member State and helping to promote economic growth and development.”

He lamented that despite some of the achievements, the bloc has however fallen short in certain areas.

He stressed that the regional body is still faced with some formidable challenges such as security issues like terrorism, kidnapping, various criminal activities and various ‘activity of man’s inhumanity to man’.

He also expressed his sadness over the withdrawal of the three African states-Burkina-Faso, Mali and Niger.

Read Also: Yakubu Gowon as essence of the Nigeria project and spirit

“ECOWAS was hopefully looking forward to a trouble-free peaceful golden jubilee this year, then the bombshell from the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) – Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, withdrawing from the Community. This came as a great concern to the Community which curtailed its 50 years of existence. It is sad that the Community is Celebrating its Jubilee short of the 50 years as a full original membership.”

“Although ECOWAS had to reluctantly let them go as they decided, it is commendable of the Commission still leaving the door of the stable open and also consider giving the group (AES) to be joint partner and for ECOWAS now to be ECOWASS – ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES (and) SAHEL. It is still to maintain its original name and purpose.”

He however said despite the plight, there is reason to celebrate the milestone.

“But it is 50 years of the majority members of the Community and they should be duly Celebrated and let us say “happy golden jubilee, ecowas”, he said.

May 28, 2025
ECOWAS marks 50th anniversary in Lagos, charts vision for 2050

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has commenced its 50th anniversary celebration with a series of high-level commemorative events in Lagos, Nigeria.

Held under the theme “Stronger Together for a Brighter Future,” the celebration reflects the bloc’s renewed commitment to deepening regional integration and development.

As part of the milestone, the ECOWAS Commission unveiled its long-term vision to transform the organisation from an “ECOWAS of States” into an “ECOWAS of the People: Peace and Prosperity to All” by the year 2050.

The plan aims to empower the region’s estimated 300 million citizens to take ownership of the vision and play active roles in shaping the community’s future.

ECOWAS was established on May 28, 1975. The founding treaty was signed by 15 Heads of State and Government at the National Institute of International Affairs on Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The Treaty of Lagos was signed by the 15 Heads of State and government of Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, The

Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sénégal and Togo, with its stated mission to promote economic integration across the region.

The Senegalese President was represented by the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Cabo Verde joined the union in 1977.

The only Arabic-speaking member, Mauritania withdrew in December 2000. Mauritania recently signed a new associate-membership agreement in August 2017.

ECOWAS membership has since reduced to 12 following the recent withdrawal of Burkina-Faso, Mali and Niger.

The milestone celebration according to the ECOWAS Commission, “reflects five

decades of regional cooperation, economic integration, and collective progress across West Africa.”

The day’s events is expected to commence with a symbolic Re-Enactment of the Signing of the ECOWAS Treaty by Heads of State and Government at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA),

Victoria Island, Lagos. “This historic moment will recall the community’s founding vision and recommit its leadership to a shared future,” the Commission stated.

According to the programme of events, the main 50th Anniversary Commemoration Ceremony will follow at Eko Hotel and Suites, also on Victoria Island. Dignitaries, partner organizations, and invited guests from across the sub-region will gather to reflect on the achievements, challenges, and future aspirations of ECOWAS.

Read Also: ECOWAS hails Nigeria Customs over B’Odogwu system

Rounding off the day will be a high-level roundtable discussion titled:“ECOWAS, an African Model @50: Resilience and Future Prospects.”

This forum will bring together former ECOWAS leaders at various levels to share insights, lessons learned, and perspectives on the regional body’s path forward.

As ECOWAS commemorates its Golden Jubilee, the theme “Stronger together for a Brighter Future” underscores the community’s enduring resilience and its commitment to peace, prosperity, and integration in West Africa.

ECOWAS was set up to foster the ideal of collective self-sufficiency for its member states. As a trading union, it is also meant to create a single, large trading bloc through economic cooperation.

Integrated economic activities as envisaged in the area that has a combined GDP of $734.8 billion, revolve around but are not limited to industry, transport, telecommunications, energy, agriculture, natural resources, commerce, monetary and financial issues, social as well as cultural matters.

In 2007, ECOWAS Secretariat was transformed into a Commission. The Commission headed by the President, assisted by a Vice President, five Commissioners and the Auditor-General of ECOWAS Institutions, comprising experienced bureaucrats who are providing the leadership in this new orientation.

The ECOWAS budget is essentially financed by revenue collected through the Community tax. The tax was introduced to finance its activities.

The rate of the Community levy is set at 0.5% of the CIF value of goods imported from non-ECOWAS countries.

As part of this renewal process, ECOWAS is implementing critical and strategic programmes that will deepen cohesion and progressively eliminate identified barriers to full integration.

May 28, 2025
Reflections on ECOWAS at 50

By Igwe Kelechi Njoku

As the world navigates an era of increasing centres of power and growing tensions between major global powers, West Africa, through its regional organisation, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), stands at the threshold of defining the region’s international relations agenda. The bloc was established on May 28th, 1975 with the treaty of Lagos.

Originally conceived to foster economic cooperation and regional integration, ECOWAS has since expanded its mandate to encompass regional collective security through Monitoring Group ECOMOG for peacekeeping, with the revised Lagos Treaty of 1993. This status quo was set out in greater detail in the 1999 Protocol relating to the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peacekeeping and Security, and subsequently by the 2001 Additional Protocol on Good Governance and Democracy. Guided by principles such as solidarity, collective self-defence, democratic consolidation, and human rights promotion, the organisation has played a pivotal role in conflict prevention, peace building, economic harmonisation, and regional stability.

Over the decades, ECOWAS has demonstrated its relevance through initiatives such as: the ECOWAS Standby Force for peacekeeping; Protocols on democracy, free movement of goods and persons, and humanitarian assistance; the establishment of a single market, customs union, and the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development; issues on ECOWAS Single Currency, ECO in collaboration with the West African Monetary Agency (WAMA); The single West African Gas Pipeline Project (Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Project) as African Atlantic Gas Pipeline Project (AAGP); Interventions in election disputes, military coups, and post-conflict reconstruction; Efforts to counter the activities of Terrorist Armed Groups (TAGs) and Violent Extremists, against transnational organised crime and criminality, disaster reduction, and climate change mitigation amongst many others.

Despite these achievements, ECOWAS faces mounting challenges that threaten its effectiveness, including: Security crises (terrorism, insurgency, piracy, and border insecurity); Political instability (military coups, democratic backsliding, sit-tight leadership); Economic and integration setbacks (lagging trade harmonisation, resource induced conflicts); Geopolitical tensions (the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to form the Alliance of the Sahel States).

Amid overwhelming geo-political challenges, the bloc still boasts a stellar track-record of peace missions through the establishment of ECOMOG in 1990, majorly to intervene in the civil war in Liberia (1989–97) and the Sierra Leonean Civil War (1991–2002) and resolving the Mano rivers crisis.

Read Also: Nigeria needs $100bn annually to hit 2050 GDP target — FG

The most pressing issue for ECOWAS is the breakaway of Alliance of the Sahel States (AES), Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, with ECOWAS acknowledging the notification in accordance with the provision of Article 91 of ECOWAS Revised Treaty of 1993. The three states will officially cease to be members of ECOWAS from 29th January 2025. However, the ECOWAS authority decided to set the period from 29th January 2025 to 29th July 2025 as a transitional period to keep doors open for their reconsideration. These withdrawals are believed to forestall the ongoing progress consolidated collectively on regional security in fighting Islamic jihadist, terror and insurgent groups. Their withdrawal is a major strategic shift in dictating the emerging order in West Africa as their departure reflects a complex web of security concerns, geopolitical realignments and institutional failures, and it brought with it a new configuration in the region following the decline of the G5 Sahel.

This geo-political challenge exposes the need for the bloc to re-examine existing mechanisms for regional integration and its cooperation architecture. While the consequences of this strategic exit are still difficult to measure, their withdrawal definitely has disrupted the collaborative partnership in joint security operations, free trade and movement of goods and services that has made ECOWAS Africa’s most advanced regional bloc, founded on principles of political cooperation, economic integration, and collective security.

The withdrawal of the AES from ECOWAS is a result of a multifaceted set of circumstances, primarily instigated by ECOWAS’s inadequate response to the Niger coup in July 2023. This response included hasty and indiscriminate sanctions, as well as threats of military intervention, which highlighted a significant disconnect between institutional actions and the actual regional context, particularly in light of the stalled governance reforms since 2015.

The crisis has unveiled more profound challenges: ECOWAS’s inability to effectively combat terrorism and insurgency in the Sahel, issues of economic marginalisation linked to the CFA franc, and concerns regarding sovereignty in relation to perceived French and Western dominance in ECOWAS’s decision-making processes. Furthermore, the increasing influence of Russia in the region has offered these nations alternative partnerships, thereby diminishing their reliance on traditional Western alliances and potentially expediting their plans for withdrawal.

The schism has revealed the inherent weaknesses of ECOWAS: a dependence on sanctions without sufficient diplomatic efforts, inadequate management of political transitions and security issues, and ineffective communication with the populations impacted. These errors highlight a disconcerting reality: the organisation’s conventional methods of influence—namely sanctions, isolation, and military threats—have become counterproductive in a situation that necessitates the resolution of legitimate concerns, especially as member states possess alternative diplomatic and security avenues. Additionally, ECOWAS’s failure to adequately acknowledge the evolving geopolitical landscape in the Sahel and its lack of engagement with civic actors have compromised its credibility and legitimacy.

The trajectory of the geo-political reality in West Africa contributes to the signal trends of the emerging world order as the globe transits from a unipolar order to a multipolar order characterised by the rise of plural hegemonies and the consequence of renewed geopolitical and geostrategic competition unfolding in the world and mirrored in the region.

We see this fracturing affecting institutions from the European Union (beginning with Brexit and the growing strength of rightwing political parties) to ECOWAS (with the exit of AES). These profound shifts in the geostrategic context are still unfolding, and the full structure of the world order to come is still taking shape, with significant implications for the Global South and beyond.

For West Africa, ECOWAS must rise to the occasion in pursuing regional interests amid the odds. The unraveling tensions between ECOWAS and the breakaway AES offers Nigeria, a pivotal power in the region, an excellent opportunity to reassert its strategic leadership coupled with the growing anti-French sentiment in West Africa.

Nigeria’s strategic leadership in ECOWAS is greatly needed now amid pressure, despite its legacy from internal security weaknesses and external shifts in African dynamics. As a two- term chair of the bloc, Nigeria should consolidate on its 4D foreign policy strategy of democracy to navigate these dynamics in maintaining stability, and continue championing multilateral joint task force operations as a frontline state for regional security.

With the void created by France’s waning neo-colonial influence, Nigeria should displace France and step up its strategic leadership mandate to defend ECOWAS regional interest against neo-colonial and imperial foreign powers as the Frenchphones are strengthening relations with alternative partners like Russia and Turkey to tackle their economic and security challenges.

Nigeria, because of its foreign policy heritage in Africa, and in West Africa, in particular, has remained a huge stumbling block for the French complete domination of West African politics amid Nigeria’s bid for greater regional integration. Leveraging the severing of military ties and diplomatic rows between France and some of its former colonies, it should pursue a visionary blueprint for a sustainable regional integration at the ECOWAS golden jubilee commemoration to ignite hope for posterity in West Africa amid its current geo-political challenges. Nigeria remains a pivotal power in the region and retains the strategic potential to champion an ECOWAS of the people for peace and prosperity for all towards the bloc’s centenary.

ECOWAS has not failed; but like other multilateral organisations, such as the United Nations (UN), faces challenges which are huge but surmountable. For the bloc to adjust to the unfolding geo-political challenges, ECOWAS should mark the difference between regional lofty ideals and the reality on the ground today, a reality that demands decisive multilateral policies to achieve greater posterity heading into the next 50 years.

That ECOWAS and it greater parts in the Sahel are confronted with serious challenges, including tenure elongation, democratic reversal, physical disintegration, bad leadership, economic crisis, climate change, youth unemployment, poverty, terrorism, and insecurity suggests that the leadership must be frank in demanding good and responsible governance from member states.

Finally, ECOWAS should deepen its multilateral policies to the grassroots level to be more appealing to the citizens of member states and strategically position itself to pursue a citizen-centred ECOWAS of the people.

• Njoku is a Research Fellow at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Lagos

May 28, 2025
ECOWAS hails Nigeria Customs over B’Odogwu system

The Regional Trade Facilitation Committee (RTFC) of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has commended the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for its impressive revenue growth and improved efficiency following the introduction of the Unified Customs Management System, popularly known as B’Odogwu.

During a visit to the PTML Command, the pilot site for B’Odogwu, ECOWAS Director of Trade, Kolawole Sofola, praised the federal government for backing the NCS in deploying the innovative system.

He noted that B’Odogwu has significantly reduced cargo clearance time to just two hours and recorded an impressive N5.6 billion in revenue in a single day.

Sofola applauded the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, and the PTML Command for their strides in trade facilitation and revenue generation.

He emphasised that Nigeria is benefiting from the adoption of modern customs innovations and urged other ECOWAS member states to learn from the success of the B’Odogwu initiative.

According to findings, the PTML Command has generated over N230 billion in revenue through the platform between November 2024 and May 22, 2025.

Sofola also acknowledged the NCS’s role in promoting economic growth by enhancing trade facilitation and combating smuggling.

He specifically commended the Controller of PTML, Tenny Mankini Daniyan, for effectively utilizing the technology to drive productivity and increase revenue collection.

He said: “On behalf of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, as well as the Commissioner responsible for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, I congratulate Comptroller Daniyan and his management team for the great work that they are doing, not only in generating revenue but also in stopping smuggling activities and promoting trade facilitation.

“We came here to learn as a regional trade facilitation committee, consisting of all ECOWAS member states and we are very glad to have noted a very good practice in Nigeria. What Nigeria has been doing is evolving with the times. They have moved from one system to improve to another system, to finally move to this current system which is homegrown.This command and in general the Nigerian customs service is doing well in promoting economic growth,” he said.

In his address, Customs Area Controller of the PTML Command, Daniyan told the committee that since the inception of the Unified Customs Management System (UCMS) B’Odogwu, in November 2024 to date, the command has collected over N230 billion using the platform as at May 22, this year.

Daniyan told the commitee that B’Odogwu project was initially launched in a pilot phase at PTML Command and because of the success story, the management of the Nigeria Customs Service rolled out the project in 34 commands across the country

He noted that the B’Odogwu platform is unique in the sense that it is a home-grown application which was developed by the NCS officers in conjunction with the Trade Modernization Project (TMP).

The PTML Command Controller said the Command now operates a two-hour cargo clearance .He said this can only be possible with compliant RoRo terminal and the clearance time will still reduce as the command keeps improving on its operations.

Read Also: Why ECOWAS is marking 50th anniversary in Lagos, by Tuggar

He stated that under the guidance and encouragement of the Adeniyi, there has always been constant sensitization, training and capacity building, not only for officers, but for all stakeholders like bankers, terminal operators, and everyone that is involved in the use of the project.

Explaining further, Daniyan said, “B’Odogwu replaced the Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS II) that was used. As you know, with any new thing, there is a challenge, especially with technology. We are going to have glitches and issues,but the uniqueness of this platform is that it is a home-grown application.

“We give kudos to our CGC because the spirit and the vision in him is what he has given to us by drinking of that fountain of innovation.He is a great innovator and a visionary for these very projects.”

While delivering his presentation on the application, the B’Odogwu Project Manager, Assistant Comptroller Oyindamola Abass Oladepo gave the history of how the project was initiated.

He disclosed that N5.6 billion was realised from the platform just in a day.

May 27, 2025
Why ECOWAS is marking 50th anniversary in Lagos, by Tuggar

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, has explained the choice of Lagos for the 50th Economic Community of West African States anniversary celebration.

Tuggar said Lagos became the obvious choice as the treaty establishing the regional body was signed in Lagos in 1975.

The minister made the disclosure in Abuja yesterday while briefing reporters on the planned programme of activities to mark the milestone

He said ECOWAS has achieved so much despite the recent withdrawal of the Alliance of States of Sahel countries – Burkina-Faso, Mali and Niger.

Given a rundown of activities for the celebration, Tuggar said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu alongside other Heads of governments of other member states will be gathering in Lagos for the occasion.

Nigeria’s former Military Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (retd), who is the only surviving founding father of ECOWAS, is expected to grace the occasion.

The minister said the occasion will be held at the popular National Institute of International Affairs, Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, where the region was born.

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He said: “The President, by virtue of being the Chairman of the Authority of the Heads of State and Government of the ECOWAS will be present, and so will other leaders from the countries, the states that constitute ECOWAS. And, of course, the event is in two parts. One, first and foremost, to take place at the National Institute of International Affairs, which is where ECOWAS itself was born, and one of the august participants will be the only surviving founding leader, founding head of state of ECOWAS, and the person of the former head of state, General Yakubu Gowan, will be present.

Thereafter the celebration will move to the Eko Hotel and Suites.

Other activities outlined include panel discussions and youth forum.

The minister explained that the celebration is “essentially, an exercise for the revalidation of the commitment that the member countries have to ECOWAS after 50 years.”

He also noted that the celebration also aimed at showcasing “the achievements of ECOWAS, because unfortunately we have been distracted in recent times by the exit of three member countries, so more attention is paid to that as to some of the remarkable achievements of ECOWAS.”

May 27, 2025
Tinubu in Lagos for ECOWAS at 50 event

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will today depart Abuja for Lagos to join regional leaders and dignitaries to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The golden jubilee marks five decades of regional integration and cooperation.

The Lagos leg of the anniversary, coming after last month’s official kick-off in Accra, Ghana, will see President Tinubu, who is also the current Chairman, lead a symbolic re-enactment of the 1975 declaration that founded the regional bloc.

This will take place at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) in Victoria Island, a venue steeped in diplomatic history.

Highlighting the significance of the event, the only surviving military Head of State who signed the original ECOWAS treaty, Gen Yakubu Gowon (rtd), will participate in the commemoration and deliver a keynote address at the main celebration holding at the Eko Hotels and Suites.

Read Also: DG/CEO Anosike Elected President ECOWAS Committee of Directors of National Hydrological and Meteorological Services

The Eko Hotels event will also feature a keynote address by Dr. Omar Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission.

According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu is expected to spotlight the bloc’s achievements over the past 50 years, underscoring its role in peacekeeping, economic integration, democratic transitions, and regional development.

A highlight of the academic engagement will be a review of ECOWAS’s journey by Prof Bolaji Akinyemi, Chairman of the NIIA and former Minister of External Affairs.

The review will be followed by panel discussions featuring scholars and regional experts on the evolution, challenges, and prospects of the sub-regional body.

The golden jubilee celebration is part of a broader strategy by ECOWAS under President Tinubu’s leadership to reenergize the bloc amid pressing challenges including security threats, economic instability, and recent military coups in some member states.

In addition to his ECOWAS duties, President Tinubu will during his stay in Lagos unveil a series of major infrastructural projects reflective of his administration’s commitment to accelerated development under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

On Saturday, the President is scheduled to inaugurate Section 1 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, a flagship road seen as a transformative corridor for trade, tourism, and urban expansion.

He will also open the Lekki Deep Sea Port Tax Credit Concrete Road, a critical access route enhancing logistics and port competitiveness in West Africa.

Other major highlights include the kick-off of Section II of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway and the inauguration of the 7th Axial Road—projects designed to bolster interconnectivity in the nation’s rapidly expanding economic zones.

Also, President Tinubu will virtually open multiple road projects in the North, including the Kano-Kanwar-Danja-Hadejiya Section II Road and the Yakasai-Zalli Road.

He will kick off the building of the Kano Northern By-pass, Zaria-Hunkuyi-Dabai Section I, Dabai-Kafur Malumfashi, and Malumfashi-Dayi-Yashe-Gidan Mutum Daya Section III.

These projects form part of the Tinubu administration’s national infrastructure pipeline aimed at boosting productivity, lowering transportation costs, and creating jobs across six geopolitical zones.

The President is also expected to observe the Eid-el-Kabir prayers at the State House in Dodan Barracks, Ikoyi before returning to Abuja.

May 27, 2025
Tinubu heads to Lagos for ECOWAS at 50 celebrations

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will on Tuesday (tomorrow) depart Abuja for Lagos to join regional leaders and dignitaries in celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a golden jubilee event commemorating five decades of regional integration and cooperation.

The Lagos leg of the anniversary, coming after last month’s official flag-off in Accra, Ghana, will see President Tinubu, who is also the current Chairman of ECOWAS, lead a symbolic reenactment of the 1975 declaration that founded the regional bloc.

This will take place at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) in Victoria Island, a venue steeped in diplomatic history.

Highlighting the significance of the event, the only surviving Head of State who signed the original ECOWAS treaty, Nigeria’s former military leader, General Yakubu Gowon (Rtd), will participate in the commemoration and deliver a keynote address at the main celebration holding at the Eko Hotels and Suites.

The Eko Hotels event will also feature a keynote address by Dr. Omar Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, who will deliver the official welcome.

According to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu is expected to spotlight the bloc’s achievements over the past 50 years, underscoring its role in peacekeeping, economic integration, democratic transitions, and regional development.

A highlight of the academic engagement will be a review of ECOWAS’s journey by Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, Chairman of the NIIA and Nigeria’s former Minister of External Affairs.

The review will be followed by panel discussions featuring scholars and regional experts on the evolution, challenges, and prospects of the sub-regional body.

The golden jubilee celebration is part of a broader strategy by ECOWAS under President Tinubu’s leadership to reenergize the bloc amid pressing challenges including security threats, economic instability, and recent military coups in some member states.

In addition to his ECOWAS duties, President Tinubu will use his stay in Lagos to unveil a series of major infrastructural projects reflective of his administration’s commitment to accelerated development under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

On Saturday, May 31, the President is scheduled to commission Section 1 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, a flagship road project seen as a transformative corridor for trade, tourism, and urban expansion.

He will also commission the Lekki Deep Sea Port Tax Credit Concrete Road, a critical access route enhancing logistics and port competitiveness in West Africa.

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Other major highlights include the flag-off of Section II of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway and the commissioning of the 7th Axial Road—projects designed to bolster interconnectivity in Nigeria’s rapidly expanding economic zones.

In a show of nationwide reach, President Tinubu will also virtually commission multiple road projects in the North, including the Kano-Kanwar-Danja-Hadejiya Section II Road and the Yakasai-Zalli Road.

He will also flag off new construction on the Kano Northern By-pass, Zaria-Hunkuyi-Dabai Section I, Dabai-Kafur Malumfashi, and Malumfashi-Dayi-Yashe-Gidan Mutum Daya Section III.

These projects form part of the Tinubu administration’s national infrastructure pipeline aimed at boosting productivity, lowering transportation costs, and creating jobs across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

The President is also expected to observe the Eid-el-Kabir prayers at the State House in Dodan Barracks, Ikoyi, where he will join fellow Muslims in prayers and reflection before returning to Abuja.

May 26, 2025
Gowon proposes ECOWAS name change to bring back Mali, others
- West African leaders, others mark group’s 50th anniversary
The only living founding father of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, has led the call for name change of the regional bloc to Economic Community of West African States and Sahel (ECOWASS) to entice the exiting states into coming back into the fold for a stronger regional bloc.

Gen. Gowon expressed sadness over the exit of three member-states of the bloc – Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, following sanctions by ECOWAS leaders after military coups in the affected countries.

He spoke in Lagos at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) on the 50th anniversary of signing of the organisation’s treaty in Lagos. The event was organised by NIIA and a German political foundation, Konrad Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), Nigeria.

The former head of state prayed that the diplomatic interventions to bring them back will prevail.

General Gowon was one of the 15 head of state and government who signed the treaty for the formation of ECOWAS in May 1975.

Ex-leader on formation of ECOWAS

In his reminiscence at the event, Gowon said the idea of ECOWAS came about after the Nigeria’s Civil War and Nigeria’s diplomatic interactions that followed with other West African leaders on the plausibility of forming a single body to integrate the diverse groups in the sub-region under one umbrella.

According to the surviving ECOWAS founding father, the idea sailed through after the initial pessimism of the possibility of bringing together different countries with different languages and colonial orientations.

Gowon said the ECOWAS was finally born on May 20, 1975 with the primary goal of promoting economic integration and cooperation among member states, and ultimately aiming to raise living standards and foster regional growth.

The elder statesman said the ECOWAS’ survival was in doubt when he was removed on July 29, 1975, in a bloodless coup and was replaced by General Murtala Muhammed. The coup occurred while Gowon was abroad.

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He narrated how late President Gnassingbé Eyadéma of Togo, who served as the country’s third president from 1967 until his death in 2005, and others met with the General Muhammed’s military government to ensure the survival of ECOWAS.

He also thanked God that his name was cleared that he didn’t know anything about the death of Gen. Muhammed during the coup staged to oust him.

On challenges in the bloc

He recollected the security situations in Liberia and Sierra Leone that warranted ECOWAS’ intervention, which was led by Nigeria and Ghana.

“In the last few years of course, we’ve been having some problems in ECOWAS. Yes, there is this security problem that we are having. And recently of course, three members of the ECOWAS community decided to opt out of the community because the leaders imposed harsh sanctions on them instead of supporting them, and they were not helping those countries to achieve their goals and they decided to see another way out by having cooperation with the Russia.

“Now, that was sad, because we had thought we had finished with people leaving ECOWAS.

“But unfortunately, these three Sahel countries, Mali, Upper Malta (Burkina Faso), and Niger, they left the community, which is very, very sad. Yes, my relationship with the forefathers of ECOWAS was so good. Honestly, one never thought that anything like that would happen. But it had now happened, and it is sad,” he said

Hopeful ECOWAS will survive

Gowon said he would not lose hope that ECOWAS is no longer anymore.

“Yes, ECOWAS has lost three members, but that is only three out of the 15. And so ECOWAS is still ECOWAS, even though slightly truncated.

“But who said that things cannot change again in the future as it has changed now?

He questioned the modus operandi adopted by ECOWAS to beat the military governments in the three Sahel countries back into democratic line.

The way out of challenges: Name change

“But we hope we will do everything possible to bring them back. And all the actions that have been taken, all the various diplomatic visits that have been done between the community, leadership and the people around them, I hope it will bring them back and it will bring the sort of results that we wanted.

“I believe in myself, in what our government is doing and what the President of Ghana is doing at the moment. I’m sure it will soon probably bring the desired result. And that ECOWAS itself will soon see happy days.

“Now I said, I’m saying that although we are reluctant to let them go as they decided, it is commendable of the ECOWAS Commission still leaving the doors of the table open and also giving the group the opportunity to be joint partners of ECOWAS. It’s about to happen. Yes, ECOWAS hasn’t got to change its name.

“So, that is the sort of thing I have in a great hope. And honestly, one wants to appreciate, I think, especially most of you who are here, who have played a part, a role at one time or the other to try to get the ECOWAS to be the success it has been. And I think easily the most successful regional organisation within Africa.”

He suggested that ECOWAS leaders should consider a name change to Economic Community of West African States and Sahel (ECOWASS) to entice the exiting states into coming back into the fold.

Sanwo-Olu hails Lagos for birthing treaty

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by Secretary to the Lagos State Government (SSG) is Mrs. Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, praised the NIIA and KAS and GIC, for organising the conference.

Sanwo-Olu noted that the partnership between Lagos State and NIIA was one grounded in mutual respect and a shared vision to advance Nigeria’s foreign policy and regional integration objectives.

He recalled with nostalgia and pride that it was in Lagos that the historic ECOWAS treaty was birthed and signed 50 years ago.

“That landmark event marked the beginning of a bold, audacious, and strategic journey towards economic integration, peace, and cooperation among ECOWAS member states.

“Over the past five decades, ECOWAS has made significant strides promoting economic integration, facilitating the free movement of people and goods, and playing a vital role in peacekeeping efforts. Despite all the challenges over the years, ECOWAS has remained resilient, relevant, and dignified in its pursuit of economic integration and upward growth of the West African region.

“Yet, we must acknowledge the challenges that persist and the evolving dynamics that require our collective attention.”

Chairman of the conference and Chairman of NIIA Governing Council Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, who praised Gen. Gowon, said he knew the exit of the Sahelian government would not scuttle ECOWAS’ unity and growth.

Prof. Akinyemi said with uproar that greeted their exit, Niger still quietly came to plead with Nigeria to assist it when they had fuel crisis.

He said Nigeria as a big brother assisted with truckloads of fuel without making a noise out of it.

He noted that the exiting countries will finally come back into ECOWAS fold later.

NIIA Director General, Prof. Eghosa Osaghae, while welcoming the guests, praised Gowon for being the surviving father of ECOWAS establishment.

He noted that Gowon’s and others’ vision saw the ECOWAS becoming the example for others on regional integration.

He reasoned that ECOWAS would survive its current challenges and wax stronger.

Resident Representative of KAS in Nigeria Marija Peran, in her welcome remarks, said while people celebrate ECOWAS milestones, “we must also confront the challenges that persist”.

“Economic asymmetry between nations threatens the principles of equitable growth. The elusive dream of a single currency remains hampered by structural hurdles. Political instability and unconstitutional changes of government continue to test the democratic fabric of ECOWAS. And perhaps most pressing, the scourge of insecurity—terrorism, insurgency, and transnational crimes—casts a long shadow over our collective progress.

“In this defining moment, let us invoke the spirit of the founding fathers — not merely in reverence but in renewed purpose. The next fifty years should be defined by deeper economic integration, reinforced political cohesion, and an unwavering commitment to security and prosperity for every West African citizen…

“General Gowon, we honour your vision, your sacrifice, and your relentless advocacy for unity. Your legacy is not just etched in history but lives on in the aspirations of generations who now stand on the foundation you helped build. May ECOWAS continue to rise to its highest potential, and may your indomitable spirit of leadership guide our path forward,” she said.
May 21, 2025
Akpabio tasks ECOWAS on unity, economic stability

Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday tasked West African countries on unity and economic stability to foster growth and development in the subregion.

Akpabio made this call in his speech during the First Ordinary Session of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, in Abuja.

In his address titled “One Region, One Dream: Advancing the Promise of West Africa,” the Senate President

He said even if physical land borders divide the lands, they must never divide their purpose.

Akpabio urged the ECOWAS parliamentarians to use their opportunity of converging in Abuja to renew their pledge to build a united West Africa where the regions’ economies would thrive, cultures flourish, and children inherit a legacy of peace, prosperity, and unshakable unity.

The Senate President said, “ECOWAS was never meant to be a concept; it was meant to be a clarion call to every West African. Our journey to greatness has just begun, and together, we can write a new chapter in the history of our beloved region.

“This is the hope with which I stand before you at this 2025 First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament to give a keynote address.

“As we gather here in Abuja, the beating heart of our great region, we must remind ourselves of the foundational vision of ECOWAS – a vision of a united, economically robust, and politically stable West Africa.

“It was this dream that inspired our founding fathers to create a community where the barriers of borders would dissolve into corridors of collaboration, where our economic strength would fuel prosperity for all, and where our political unity would stand as a bulwark against external interference.

“Today, as we face the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly changing world, this vision remains as critical as ever.

“Yet, we must also confront the hard truths of our present reality. Despite the undeniable strides we have made, significant challenges persist – challenges that demand our immediate attention and decisive action.

“One such challenge is the quest for economic stability in our region. The strength of any economic community lies in its ability to foster trade, attract investment, and create prosperity for its people.

“However, currency volatility, inflation, economic disparities, and the pressures of global financial markets continue to hinder the full realisation of our collective potential.

“The promise of a unified regional currency, a cornerstone of our economic ambitions, holds great potential for simplifying trade, reducing transaction costs, and enhancing the global competitiveness of our businesses.

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“Yet, we must be clear-eyed about the path to achieving this – it demands fiscal discipline, monetary coordination, robust financial infrastructure, and mutual economic trust.

“At this critical juncture, we must rekindle the spirit of unity and solidarity that has always defined us as a people.

“Let us resolve to speak with one voice on the global stage, to stand together against external economic pressures, and to chart a course for our region that prioritises the welfare of our people above all else.

“As we deliberate in this Parliament, let our decisions be guided by the timeless wisdom of Nelson Mandela, who once said, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”

“Though it may seem impossible, I believe that together, we can overcome our challenges, forge a path to prosperity, and build the West Africa of our dreams.”

May 20, 2025