By Seun Ibiyemi
At the opening of the maiden West Africa Economic Summit held at the International Conference Centre in Abuja, Nigerian President and ECOWAS Chairperson, H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, delivered a compelling appeal to regional leaders to reject disunity and usher in a new era of economic integration and collective advancement.
Addressing a distinguished gathering of Heads of State, ministers, business executives, and development stakeholders, President Tinubu described the summit as a “decisive moment” for the subregion.
He stated that West Africa must move past “missed opportunities” and unite in harnessing its enormous potential, particularly in trade, youth capacity, and mineral resources.
“Intra-regional trade remains below 10 percent — a situation we can no longer afford to tolerate,” Tinubu said.
“Rather than operating in silos or leaning excessively on external partnerships, we must reinforce our regional value chains, prioritise infrastructure, and align our policies.”
Referencing major collaborative efforts such as the Lagos–Abidjan Highway and the West African Power Pool, the President stressed the value of shared infrastructure and digital innovation, urging stakeholders to transition “from declarations to concrete deals.”
He also cautioned that the region must not be left behind in the global industrial transformation, emphasising the urgency of moving away from raw material exports toward domestic processing and manufacturing.
“The era of pit to port must end. We must convert our mineral wealth into national prosperity — through job creation, technological advancement, and industrialisation,” he stated.
Tinubu further encouraged a stronger partnership between the public and private sectors. While reiterating the responsibility of governments to provide sound policies and a stable regulatory environment, he affirmed that economic progress would ultimately be driven by entrepreneurship and private investment.
He concluded his address with a call for bold, practical commitments that champion youth and women’s participation, expand intra-regional trade, and build a cohesive, competitive, and investment-friendly West Africa.
“This is the new West African proposition,” Tinubu declared. “Let us make it real. Let us make it bankable.”