West African Leaders converged at the State House, for the 68th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Opening the summit, Nigeria, as the host nation, reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to the ideals of regional solidarity, collective security, and shared prosperity. Speaking on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima underscored that West Africa’s geography is not accidental but historical and deliberate, bound by culture, memory, and a shared destiny. He stressed that while disagreements among member states are inevitable, they must never erode fraternity or undermine the foundations of the Community.

The session brought together Heads of State and Government, Foreign Ministers, senior ECOWAS officials, representatives of the African Union (AU), the United Nations (UN), international financial institutions, and members of the diplomatic corps.

In their interventions, speakers repeatedly emphasized that terrorism, violent extremism, unconstitutional changes of government, transnational organised crime, climate shocks, food insecurity, and irregular migration constitute shared threats that no single state can confront in isolation.

A dominant theme of the summit was the defence of democratic governance. Leaders strongly condemned recent unconstitutional developments in parts of the region, particularly the political crisis in Guinea-Bissau and the attempted disruption of constitutional order in Benin. ECOWAS was commended for its swift, coordinated, and principled response, including diplomatic engagement and the mobilisation of regional security mechanisms, demonstrating zero tolerance for military takeovers and democratic backsliding.

In his address, the Chair of the ECOWAS Authority and President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, His Excellency, Julius Maada Bio, described the 68th session as a defining moment, coinciding with nearly five decades of ECOWAS.