Professor Adeola Adenikinju, President of the Nigerian Economic Society, accompanied by Mr Solomon Terkura Mathew, Head of the NES Secretariat, paid a courtesy visit on April 4, 2025, to Professor Nazifi Abdullahi Darma, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Internal Services, in Abuja. During the meeting, Professor Darma detailed his academic and professional journey and explained the functions of the ECOWAS Commission, with a clear focus on the Department of Internal Services under his leadership.

In response, Professor Adenikinju recounted his academic path and outlined the significant contributions of the Nigerian Economic Society to the nation’s economic development policy, emphasizing the Society’s longstanding history since its establishment in 1957.

He expressed appreciation for Professor Darma’s ongoing advocacy for sound economic policy and noted recent achievements of his administration, which include the revitalisation of state chapters, progress on constructing a national secretariat in Abuja, and preparations for the forthcoming NES conference scheduled for September 2025.

Professor Darma acknowledged the efforts of Professor Adenikinju in strengthening and repositioning the Nigerian Economic Society and reiterated his commitment to supporting the organisation. He offered strategic suggestions aimed at further enhancing the Society’s relevance in Nigeria’s economic policy-making process.

The visit underscored the importance of collaboration between established academic institutions and regional bodies, a partnership that serves to enrich economic discourse and inform policy decisions across the region. This meeting not only celebrated decades of institutional progress but also pointed to the dynamic role such engagements play in shaping the future of economic policy in Nigeria and its neighbouring countries.