President Bola Tinubu has called on West African leaders to urgently embrace economic unity, coordinated policies, and strategic investment to secure a prosperous future for the region.
Speaking at the second day of the West African Economic Summit in Abuja, Tinubu, who also chairs the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), urged countries to go beyond symbolic gestures.
“The time for symbolic gestures has passed. Today is not about celebrating how far we have come, but forging a new path that leaves behind fragmentation… and moves forward towards deeper integration, collective action, and shared prosperity,” Tinubu declared.
The president emphasized the importance of building strong regional value chains and reducing dependence on external partners.
“The global economy will not wait for West Africa to get its act together. Rather than competing in isolation, we must strengthen our regional value chains, invest in infrastructure, and coordinate our policies,” he said.
Despite ECOWAS’ long-standing integration efforts, intra-regional trade remains under 10 percent — a figure Tinubu described as a “failure of coordination.”
He also pointed to the region’s youth as a key driver of growth, warning that their potential could be lost without adequate investment.
“Our region’s greatest asset is its youthful population. But this promise can quickly become a liability if not matched by investments in education, digital infrastructure, and productive enterprise.”
Highlighting Nigeria’s own efforts, Tinubu said, “Nigeria invests in skills development, digital connectivity, and youth empowerment. But no one country can do this alone.”
He called for collective action to improve infrastructure, streamline policies, and promote local manufacturing.
“It’s not enough to be resource-rich. We must become value chain-smart… The era of one pit to the port must end.”
Tinubu wrapped up with a strong call to action:
“Let us emerge from this summit with actionable outcomes… and build a West Africa that is investable, competitive, and resilient.”
Also speaking at the summit, Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar urged for a realistic and private sector–driven approach.
“Governments are at their best when they realise the limits of their influence. Our purpose today is to reset the vision for West Africa’s economic future — and that depends on the enterprise and ingenuity of our people.”
The summit continues as regional leaders consider concrete strategies to turn shared aspirations into lasting impact.
