West African leaders gathered in Nigeria’s capital in December for a key summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), as the regional bloc grapples with persistent security threats, political instability and questions about its future direction.
The 68th Ordinary Session of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, held in Abuja, brought together presidents, ministers and senior officials to review the state of the region and chart a way forward amid coups, jihadist violence and sluggish economic integration.
Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama was among the leaders in attendance, holding bilateral discussions on regional flashpoints, including Guinea’s political transition and a long-running border issue involving the Yenga area, which has periodically strained relations between neighbouring states.
Security dominated the agenda, with leaders warning that militant attacks linked to jihadist groups in the Sahel continue to pose a serious threat to coastal West African countries. Violence in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger — all of which have experienced military takeovers in recent years — has spilled across borders, undermining trade routes and displacing millions.
ECOWAS leaders reiterated their commitment to regional security cooperation, including intelligence sharing and joint military operations, while acknowledging the challenges posed by the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger from the bloc earlier this year.
The summit also revisited the future of ECOWAS itself, as the organisation faces growing scepticism from some governments and citizens who question its effectiveness in enforcing democratic norms and delivering economic benefits.
Democratic governance featured prominently in discussions, with leaders reaffirming opposition to unconstitutional changes of government and calling for credible transitions back to civilian rule in countries under military administration, including Guinea.
Economic integration was another central theme, as ECOWAS reviewed progress on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which aims to boost intra-African trade by reducing tariffs and non-tariff barriers.
Despite years of planning, trade within West Africa remains low compared with other regions, hampered by poor infrastructure, border delays and policy inconsistencies. Leaders urged member states to accelerate the implementation of AfCFTA commitments, harmonise customs procedures and invest in transport corridors linking landlocked countries to ports.
The long-delayed introduction of a common currency, the ECO, was also discussed, though officials acknowledged that macroeconomic convergence criteria remain out of reach for many member states, amid high inflation, debt pressures and currency instability.
Climate change featured increasingly in deliberations, with leaders warning that extreme weather, coastal erosion and desertification are compounding insecurity and economic hardship, particularly for farming and fishing communities.
The December summit capped a busy year of ECOWAS diplomacy. In October 2025, ministers met to assess progress on security cooperation and economic reforms, while earlier in April the bloc convened a meeting of the ECOWAS Brown Card Insurance Scheme, a regional motor insurance system designed to facilitate cross-border travel and trade.
Those meetings, officials said, reflected efforts to strengthen practical cooperation even as political tensions test regional unity.
Founded in 1975, ECOWAS was originally conceived as an economic bloc to promote free movement and development in West Africa. Over time, it has taken on a stronger political and security role, notably through sanctions and mediation in times of crisis.
As leaders departed Abuja, the challenge remained how to restore confidence in the bloc at a moment when fragmentation, insecurity and economic pressures threaten to undermine five decades of regional integration.
