President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Alieu Touray, on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in the West African sub-region, citing escalating violent extremism, terrorism, military coups, banditry and deepening political instability. Touray made the declaration during the 55th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council (MSC) at the ministerial level in…
Benin Republic’s armed forces have thwarted a coup attempt led by Lt.-Col. Pascal Tigri, who had briefly declared himself leader on national television, local media reported on Sunday. ECOWAS reacted by pledging support for Benin, including the potential deployment of its regional standby force to safeguard the country’s constitutional order. The commission also condemned the…
Vice-President Kashim Shettima will lead Nigeria’s delegation to the inauguration of President Alassane Ouattara in Côte d’Ivoire, accompanied by ECOWAS Commission President Omar Touray, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs Chairman Sen. Abubakar Bello, and Rep. Usman Zanna. Mr Stanley Nkwocha said the visit underscores the bilateral ties between Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire, strengthened through a…
Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, has accused ECOWAS of inconsistency in its reaction to threats against democracy in West Africa, saying the bloc appears vocal when soldiers intervene but muted when elections are disrupted by technological failures. Writing on X on Sunday, Obi said the events in Guinea-Bissau — where authorities reported…
The InnoPower Africa Foundation has partnered with the ECOWAS Small Business Coalition (ESBC) to launch a Capacity Building and Training (CB&T) programme for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across West Africa. Founder of InnoPower Africa, Mr. Remy Chukwunyere, said the initiative aims to accelerate digital transformation and enhance the competitiveness of MSMEs in all…
The ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) and the Government of Guinea have signed two loan agreements totalling €123.45 million to support agribusiness education and expand access to clean, reliable energy, the bank announced on Tuesday. The agreements, finalised on 10 November 2025 in Conakry, aim to advance sustainable development and economic diversification in…
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has dismissed claims of genocide against any religious group in the region, arguing that such labels are aimed at distorting cohesion in the bloc. ECOWAS, in a communique on late Tuesday, said the claims are targeted at worsening insecurity in the West African region. “Perpetrators of…
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament says its partnership with the European Parliament will strengthen regional legislative capacity, enhance citizen representation, and improve collaboration with international institutions to address West Africa’s pressing challenges. The announcement comes as the ECOWAS Parliament marks its 25th anniversary from November through early December 2025. Since its…
Amb Bianca Ojukwu, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, has called on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the South-East to embrace the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) as a tool to grow their businesses and compete in the wider West African market. Speaking at a sensitisation workshop in Enugu on Tuesday, Ojukwu said…
ECOWAS has appointed former Vice President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, to head its Election Observation Mission for Côte d’Ivoire’s presidential election scheduled for 25 October. The announcement was made by the ECOWAS Commission in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja. The mission will be deployed from 19 to 29 October, in accordance with…
