President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to reshaping economic diplomacy across West Africa, declaring that the era of missed opportunities in the sub-region is nearing its end.

Speaking through Vice President Kashim Shettima at a dinner in honour of delegates to the West African Economic Summit held at the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja, President Tinubu said the time had come to translate regional ambitions into tangible action.

“While Asia operates 60% within its borders and Europe 70%, Africa remains at a mere 15%. West Africa is sadly even less. Through mechanisms such as the trade liberalisation scheme, the West African power pool, and the Abidjan to Lagos corridor, we have laid the foundation, but now, we must build”, the President observed.

In a statement issued on Sunday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, the President described the inaugural summit as a declaration of intent by Nigeria to lead a shift in regional economic thinking—moving from dialogue to delivery, and from rhetoric to results.

He noted that the summit’s structure, particularly the deal room and formal declarations, signals a new era of public-private cooperation in shaping West Africa’s future.

“The destiny of our region does not lie in the hands of government alone but in our ability to bring the private sector to the centre of our planning. Commerce shall not be shortened by Customs delays, or innovation strangled by policy incoherence. We are truly a West Africa that works for all”, Tinubu said.

President Tinubu called for stronger collaboration between regional governments and economic actors, emphasizing that political leadership across Africa must play the role of facilitator rather than complainant.

“That is the spirit in which we are gathered here tonight,” he said.

The President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Alieu Omar Touray, also spoke at the event, commending Nigeria’s leadership and President Tinubu’s dedication to regional peace and economic progress.

He praised Nigeria’s continued support for ECOWAS institutions and programs, saying it reflects “a commitment to building a sub-region that works for all.”

Also lending her voice, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Bianca Ojukwu, described the summit as a signal of renewed regional ambition, noting that leaders are now focused on dismantling long-standing impediments to development.

She highlighted ongoing efforts to harness youth potential and align economic policies with development goals.

Among those present at the summit dinner were ministers of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar; Solid Minerals, Mr. Dele Alake; Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar; and Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Mukhtar Maiha, alongside delegates, development partners, and senior stakeholders in the West African economic community.

In a separate event on Saturday night, Vice President Shettima, again representing President Tinubu, paid glowing tribute to former Bauchi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmadu Adamu Muazu, at a dinner marking his 70th birthday.

Describing Muazu as “a statesman of the highest order,” Shettima lauded the former governor’s leadership style, political maturity, and enduring contributions to nation-building.

“In your years of stewardship, you turned challenges into blueprints and dreams into enduring legacies for the people of Bauchi State. We do not merely celebrate your age—we celebrate a lifetime of consequence”, Shettima said.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and retired Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, also eulogized Muazu’s leadership, urging young leaders to emulate his patience, humility, and patriotism.

The celebratory dinner drew a host of political heavyweights including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; Governors Dauda Lawal of Zamfara and Donald Duke of Cross River; former Governors Ibrahim Shekarau, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Jolly Nyame, Segun Osoba, Isa Yuguda, Mohammed Abubakar, and Danjuma Goje; as well as former Speaker Yakubu Dogara.