Otamere Gladness 
ABUJA, Nigeria — West African leaders commit to deeper regional unity and faster collective action against military coups, terrorism and cross-border crime as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) concludes its 68th Ordinary Summit in Abuja.
The leaders agree to move from reactive responses to pre-emptive diplomacy and security cooperation, following a spate of attempted and successful coups across the region. The meeting, hosted by Nigeria and chaired by Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio on Sunday, comes days after a foiled coup attempt in Benin, where soldiers briefly seized a national broadcaster before order was restored.
Representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima stresses that West Africa’s security challenges are shared and indivisible. “The threats confronting our region recognise no borders. Terrorism, unconstitutional changes of government and organised crime demand a united front,” Shettima says.
He adds that no country can secure lasting peace alone, urging leaders to “speak with one voice and act with shared resolve”.
President Bio describes the summit as a defining moment for ECOWAS’ more than 400 million citizens, praising Nigeria’s swift intervention during the Benin crisis as proof of effective solidarity.
ECOWAS Commission President Dr Omar Alieu Touray says the bloc’s rapid response mechanisms in Benin and Guinea-Bissau demonstrate what coordinated leadership can achieve.
Beyond security, leaders announce plans to reduce regional air travel costs from January 2026 by scrapping select aviation taxes. They also appointed Nigerian industrialist Aliko Dangote as chairman of the new ECOWAS Business Council to deepen private sector engagement.
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Oluwafunbi Bello 
Chukwu Obinna