President Bola Tinubu is set to host the final day of the maiden West Africa Economic Summit today, June 21, 2025, at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja.
The high-level gathering comes ahead of the 67th Ordinary Session of the Economic Community of West African States scheduled for Sunday, June 22, at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.
The summit, initiated by President Tinubu in his capacity as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, is aimed at strengthening economic cooperation and regional integration across West Africa.
According to a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the forum “is the first of its kind and is designed to deepen trade and investment collaboration within the subregion.”
Onanuga explained that the President’s invitation extended to Member States of the Alliance of Sahelian States and Mauritania reflects his “unwavering commitment to inclusive dialogue and regional cohesion.”
Presidents from eight countries — Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Senegal, The Gambia, Benin, Togo, and Guinea-Bissau — are confirmed to attend the summit, which is expected to produce actionable strategies for accelerating economic integration.
“The summit aims to deliver tangible outcomes that will fast-track the region’s integration agenda — a necessary foundation for peace, security, and sustainable development,” Onanuga added.
In attendance are ministers overseeing finance, trade, foreign affairs, and infrastructure from ECOWAS member countries, alongside key regional institutions such as the West African Monetary Institute, West African Monetary Agency, ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat.
Private sector leaders, international development partners, and policy experts are also participating in panel sessions and bilateral discussions at the summit.
Ahead of the event, President Tinubu dispatched special envoys across the region to deliver formal invitations. The delegation was led by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and included the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and International Relations, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye.
“This summit reflects President Tinubu’s vision for a prosperous, interconnected West Africa where nations work together to unlock economic potential and ensure long-term regional stability,” the statement concluded.