Vice President Kashim Shettima represented Nigeria at the 68th Ordinary Session of the Economic Community of West African States Authority of Heads of State and Government held at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja on Sunday, despite President Bola Tinubu remaining in the country.
This marks the first time Shettima has led the Nigerian delegation at an ECOWAS meeting hosted on home soil while the president is present in Nigeria. The presidency has not provided an official explanation for Tinubu’s decision to delegate the responsibility.
The summit, which began at 3:00 p.m. local time, features a special debate on the future of the regional bloc, according to a draft agenda obtained by Saturday PUNCH.
Several West African heads of state attended the meeting, including President Julius Bio of Sierra Leone, who currently chairs ECOWAS, alongside 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. Mahama returned to Ghana’s presidency in January 2025, taking over from Nana Akufo-Addo.
The public session included welcome remarks from the host nation, a statement by ECOWAS Commission President Dr Omar Touray, and an opening address by Chairman Bio. UNOWAS Chief Leonardo Santos Simão and African Union Commissioner Bankole Adeoye were also scheduled to address the gathering before leaders proceeded to closed-door discussions.
The agenda covers critical regional issues, including the 2025 State of the Community report, updates from the Mediation and Security Council, and a report on the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme. Special reports on Guinea-Bissau, the recent crisis in Benin, confirmation of the host state for the West African Health Organisation headquarters, and the political transition in Guinea are also under review.
The summit takes place against a backdrop of significant regional turmoil over the past five years, during which West Africa experienced multiple military coups in Mali in 2020 and 2021, two takeovers in Burkina Faso in 2022, and another in Niger in 2023. These upheavals severely strained regional unity, culminating in the withdrawal of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso from ECOWAS in early 2024.
Recent security challenges include a failed coup attempt in Benin on December 7, 2025, and ongoing instability in Guinea-Bissau, which former President Goodluck Jonathan characterized as a “ceremonial coup.”
In response to the Benin coup attempt, President Tinubu authorized the deployment of military aircraft and troops to assist the Beninese government in containing the situation. On December 9, the Nigerian Senate approved Tinubu’s request to send forces to the Republic of Benin to support efforts to restore stability.
Benin’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that approximately 200 West African soldiers, predominantly from Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire, are currently stationed in the country to provide security assistance.
Nigerian officials have emphasized that Benin’s stability carries significant economic implications for Nigeria, given the substantial volume of Nigerian-bound cargo that passes through Cotonou’s port, a crucial entry point for vehicles, consumer goods and informal trade. The Sèmè border crossing along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor remains one of West Africa’s busiest commercial and commuter routes.
Furthermore, China’s 2,000-kilometer Niger-Benin export pipeline, which transports crude oil to the offshore terminal at Sèmè-Kpodji, serves as a vital energy lifeline for landlocked Niger and represents a strategic asset along Benin’s coastline.
Leaders at the summit are expected to evaluate proposals for enhanced security cooperation, sanctions mechanisms and economic integration initiatives, including the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme, aimed at stabilizing the regional bloc. The meeting will also include a review of Dr. Touray’s report and the scheduling of the 69th Ordinary Session.
