President Bola Tinubu has officially ended his term as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, handing over the leadership to President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone.
The handover took place on Sunday at the 67th ECOWAS Summit in Abuja. Tinubu, who held the role since July 2023, expressed gratitude for the opportunity and confidence placed in him by member states.
In his final address, Tinubu urged the region’s leaders to accelerate the activation of the ECOWAS Standby Force to effectively combat terrorism, armed conflict, and other transnational threats plaguing West Africa. He warned that the continued delays in launching the regional force were unacceptable, especially as insecurity in the Sahel worsens.
Tinubu also highlighted major achievements during his tenure, including the completion of the ECOWAS Military Logistics Depot in Sierra Leone and ongoing dialogue with Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, countries that recently exited the bloc.
He called for stronger economic collaboration, faster implementation of infrastructure projects, and deeper private sector involvement to drive regional growth.
Taking over, President Bio praised Tinubu’s leadership and promised to build on the progress made. He acknowledged the pressing challenges in the region, including political instability, terrorism, and youth demands for better governance.