The 68th Ordinary Session of the Economic Community of West African States Authority of Heads of State and Government has commenced in Abuja, Nigeria, with regional leaders gathering to deliberate on the future of the bloc and pressing challenges facing West Africa.
The summit opened on Sunday at the State House Conference Centre and features a special debate focused on the future direction of the ECOWAS Community, alongside high-level discussions on political stability, regional security and economic integration.
The meeting is being chaired by the President of Sierra Leone and current ECOWAS Authority Chairman, Julius Maada Bio, who arrived in Abuja on Saturday ahead of the summit.
In a post on his official X account, Bio said the meeting would provide an opportunity for frank and solution-driven engagement among leaders of the sub-region.
“I arrived in Abuja, Nigeria, to preside over an Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government,” he said.
“As Chair of the Authority, I look forward to constructive deliberations with my colleagues on the urgent challenges confronting our region,” Bio added.
According to him, the summit is expected to address a range of critical issues affecting West Africa, with particular attention on recent developments in Guinea-Bissau and Benin.
Key items on the agenda include discussions on the future of the ECOWAS Community, the presentation of the 2025 Annual Report on the State of the Community, updates on regional security and mediation efforts, progress on Guinea’s political transition, and a review of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme.
The summit is expected to conclude with the adoption of a final communiqué outlining agreed positions and decisions, followed by a joint press conference by ECOWAS leaders.
Earlier in the week, the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, which also met in Abuja, unanimously endorsed Ghana’s President, John Mahama, as the sole candidate from the sub-region for the position of Chairperson of the African Union when the rotational slot returns to West Africa in 2027.
