President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone has been elected as the new Chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), taking over from Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who completed his two-year tenure.
The handover took place during the 67th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Abuja, Nigeria. Tinubu’s term was marked by widespread regional instability, including a surge in military coups and democratic setbacks across West Africa.
Before the transition, President Tinubu hosted the first West Africa Economic Summit in Abuja, attended by leaders from across the region. The summit focused on advancing economic integration, boosting trade, and strengthening investment cooperation.
In a move to foster regional unity, Tinubu also extended invitations to countries outside the current ECOWAS framework, including Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mauritania—nations with strained ties to the bloc following political upheavals.
In his inaugural remarks, President Bio highlighted the region’s untapped potential, citing its youthful population and natural resources. He called for decisive leadership to address shared challenges such as rising debt, climate vulnerability, and food insecurity, emphasizing the need for stronger regional integration to ensure peace, prosperity, and development.
