The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) convened its 68th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government in Abuja, Nigeria, amidst significant political, security, and economic pressures across the sub-region. Leaders of the bloc made a firm commitment to defend democracy, deepen economic integration, and strengthen collective security, recognizing the rising instability that threatens West Africa's progress.

President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, welcomed the heads of state, emphasizing the critical importance of unity. He warned that ECOWAS is weakest when divided, asserting that the shared geography is not accidental but foundational, stemming from common history, kinship, memory, culture, struggle, and aspiration. President Tinubu acknowledged that disagreements among member states are inevitable but stressed they must not undermine their shared destiny. He highlighted numerous shared threats requiring coordinated action, including terrorism, violent extremism, unconstitutional changes of government, transnational crime, arms proliferation, cyber insecurity, climate shocks, food insecurity, and irregular migration. “These challenges recognise no borders. No single member state, regardless of size, can achieve enduring stability in isolation,” he stated, reiterating Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to collective action and the ideals of ECOWAS.

The summit took place against a backdrop of five turbulent years for West Africa, marked by a string of military coups. These included successful putschs in Mali (2020, 2021), Burkina Faso (twice in 2022), and Niger (2023), all of which are currently under junta control. More recently, the region faced a successful putsch in Guinea-Bissau in November and a foiled military takeover in Benin on December 7, 2025. The swift response to the attempted coup in Benin, with Nigerian fighter jets and ground troops supporting loyalist forces within hours, was cited as concrete evidence of regional solidarity and a shift towards preemptive military and diplomatic intervention.

Key leaders attending the session included President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone, who serves as the ECOWAS Authority Chairman, President Patrice Talon (Benin), José Maria Neves (Cabo Verde), Alassane Ouattara (Côte d’Ivoire), Adama Barrow (The Gambia), John Mahama (Ghana), Umaro Embaló (Guinea-Bissau), Joseph Boakai (Liberia), Bassirou Faye (Senegal), and Faure Gnassingbé (Togo). Heads of state from Guinea and Guinea-Bissau, suspended after their military takeovers, were notably absent. The Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority, President Bio, described the summit as a “historic crossroads” and a “defining moment for the future of over 400 million West Africans,” applauding Nigeria's leadership in safeguarding constitutional order.

ECOWAS Commission President Dr Omar Alieu Touray reiterated the power of regional solidarity, citing the responses to instability in Guinea-Bissau and the attempted coup in Benin. He also announced a decisive pivot towards private-sector-led integration with the launch of the ECOWAS Business Council, and Nigerian industrialist Alhaji Aliko Dangote graciously accepted to serve as its pioneer chairman. Among the critical items on the agenda were the consideration of the 2025 State of the Community report, updates from the Mediation and Security Council, a report on the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) aimed at boosting intra-regional trade, and special reports on Guinea-Bissau, the situation in Benin, and the transition in Guinea. Discussions also covered security in the Sahel, where jihadist groups are active in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, the latter three having left ECOWAS to form their own Alliance of Sahel States (AES). Touray called for negotiations with the AES over shared security concerns.

In a landmark agreement, ECOWAS leaders also decided to implement a measure to reduce the cost of air travel across West Africa starting from January 2026, which includes abolishing air transport taxes among member states. The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, represented by Bankole Adeoye, emphasized the opportunity for stakeholders to scale up coordination and strategic dialogue for advancing democracy and regional stability, reiterating that the attempted coup in Benin and instability in Guinea-Bissau are