President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to attend the West Africa Economic Summit (WAES) today, Saturday, 21 June 2025, at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja.
The summit, now in its second and final day, precedes the 67th Ordinary Summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), scheduled for Sunday, 22 June 2025, at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed in a statement titled ‘President Tinubu To Advance Economic Integration At The West Africa Economic Summit’ that the initiative, under President Tinubu’s leadership as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, marks the first of its kind aimed at deepening regional economic integration.
“WAES strongly focuses on enhancing trade and investment cooperation across the subregion,” Onanuga noted.
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President Tinubu has extended invitations to Member States of the Alliance of Sahelian States and Mauritania, signalling his commitment to inclusive dialogue and regional cooperation.
Confirmed participants include the Presidents of Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Senegal, The Gambia, Benin, Togo, and Guinea-Bissau.
The summit is expected to deliver tangible outcomes that will accelerate West Africa’s integration agenda, which is crucial for sustainable peace, security, and prosperity in the region.
Ministers of Finance, Trade, Infrastructure, and Foreign Affairs from ECOWAS member states, along with representatives from key regional economic institutions such as the West African Monetary Agency, West African Monetary Institute, ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development, West African Economic and Monetary Union, and the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat, are also in attendance.
Private sector leaders, development partners, and policy experts form part of the broad spectrum of participants.
Ahead of the summit, President Tinubu deployed a delegation of Special Envoys to deliver formal invitations to Heads of State and Government across the region.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, led the team, accompanied by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and International Relations, Sola Enikanolaiye.
