President Bola Tinubu has emphasised the need for a united front and collective action to address the challenges confronting the West African region, such as terrorism, violent extremism, and unconstitutional changes of government.
This was part of the welcome address delivered by Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented President Tinubu at the 68th Ordinary Session of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Authority of Heads of State and Government, which took place at the State House Conference Centre.
Tinubu said no single nation can achieve stability alone. He assured the gathering that Nigeria stands committed to collective action in defence of the region’s collective future.
In his opening address, ECOWAS Chairman and President of Sierra Leone, Julius Bio, also added his voice to the call for collective action, including the need for integrated intelligence systems and coordinated border operations.
Bio condemned the unconstitutional change of government in Guinea-Bissau and the attempt in the Republic of Benin, commending the rapid mobilisation of ECOWAS troops, with Nigeria taking the lead to safeguard constitutional order.
He emphasised the need for legitimate leadership and accountable governance as crucial for regional stability.
In a bid to make mobility, opportunity, and inclusion accessible to all in the region, he announced that beginning from January 2026, the community will implement a landmark measure to reduce the cost of air travel across West Africa.
Under this agreement, member states will abolish air transport taxes and reduce passenger and security charges by 25%.
The meeting came in the wake of a successful putsch in Guinea-Bissau in November, and a foiled military takeover in Benin a week ago has rattled regional bloc ECOWAS.
The bloc was previously hit with a string of coups between 2020 and 2023 in Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, and Niger — all of whom are still under junta control.
“The events of the last few weeks have shown in concrete terms what regional solidarity means,” ECOWAS commission president Alieu Touray said at the opening ceremony of a heads of state summit in Abuja.
