President Tinubu’s Tenure As ECOWAS Chairman Ends

By Akinwale Kasali

President Bola Tinubu’s tenure as the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, has  finally come to an end. He is expected to pass the baton to another person at the 65th Ordinary Session of the Authority is holding at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Tinubu was unanimously endorsed as Chairman in July 2024 at the 63rd Ordinary Session of the Authority in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau.

Since then, the Nigerian leader has dealt with challenges particularly military coups in member- states.

The President initially took a strong stance against unconstitutional changes of government in Niger Republic, Burkina Faso, Mali and Guinea, overseeing the imposition of sanctions on them.

However, the sanctions were later lifted as the sub-regional body opted for a more peaceful and diplomatic approach to resolve the issues.

The President played a critical role in ensuring the success of the 2024 Senegalese election by facilitating dialogue between stakeholders.

The Economic Council of West African States is an economic association established in 1975 which members are Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.