President Bola Tinubu on Sunday participated in the 68th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, as regional leaders convened to address rising political and security challenges in West Africa, including a recent coup attempt in Benin Republic.
Although President Tinubu attended the summit, Vice President Kashim Shettima led Nigeria’s delegation at the meeting, marking the first time he has headed an ECOWAS delegation on Nigerian soil while the President remained in the country. No official reason was given for the arrangement. Tinubu previously served as ECOWAS Chairman from July 2023 to July 2025 before handing over to President Julius Bio of Sierra Leone.
The meeting, which commenced at about 3:00 p.m., featured a “special debate on the future of the Community,” according to the draft agenda. The opening ceremony included welcome remarks by the host country, a statement by ECOWAS Commission President, Dr. Omar Touray, and an address by ECOWAS Chairman, President Julius Bio. The Chief of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Leonardo Santos Simão, and African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Bankole Adeoye, were also scheduled to speak before deliberations moved into a closed-door session.
Among the leaders present were Presidents Patrice Talon of Benin, José Maria Neves of Cabo Verde, Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire, Adama Barrow of The Gambia, John Mahama of Ghana, Umaro Embaló of Guinea-Bissau, Joseph Boakai of Liberia, Bassirou Faye of Senegal, and Faure Gnassingbé of Togo.
Key items on the agenda included the 2025 State of the Community report, updates from the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council, implementation of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme, and special reports on Guinea-Bissau, the situation in Benin, the transition process in Guinea, and the selection of a host country for the West African Health Organisation headquarters.
The summit comes amid prolonged instability in the sub-region, following a series of military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger over the past five years, and the subsequent withdrawal of the three countries from ECOWAS in early 2024.
Attention at the meeting was also focused on the attempted coup in Benin on December 7, 2025, and renewed political tension in Guinea-Bissau. Following the failed putsch in Benin, President Tinubu approved the deployment of Nigerian military assets to support the Beninese government, a move later endorsed by the Senate. About 200 West African troops, mainly from Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire, are currently assisting Benin to restore calm.
ECOWAS leaders are expected to deliberate on strengthened security cooperation, possible sanctions, and deeper economic integration measures aimed at stabilising the region, before agreeing on the date and venue for the 69th Ordinary Session of the Authority.
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