The 68th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government kicked off on Sunday at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja, Nigeria.
The summit features a Special Debate on the Future of the Community, alongside discussions on regional priorities, including political stability, security cooperation, and economic integration.
Leaders from across West Africa have arrived in Nigeria for the session, which is being chaired by Sierra Leone’s President and ECOWAS Authority Chairman, Julius Maada Bio. The chairman arrived in Abuja on Saturday, according to a statement on his official social media handle.
“I arrived in Abuja, Nigeria, to preside over an Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government. As Chair of the Authority, I look forward to constructive deliberations with my colleagues on the urgent challenges confronting our region,” Bio said.
The summit agenda includes:
- Deliberations on the future of the ECOWAS Community
- Presentation of the 2025 Annual Report on the State of the Community
- Updates on regional security and mediation efforts
- Progress on Guinea’s political transition
- Review of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme
The session is expected to conclude with the adoption of a final communiqué, followed by a joint press conference.
Earlier this week, the ECOWAS Council of Ministers meeting in Abuja unanimously endorsed President John Mahama of Ghana as the sole ECOWAS candidate for Chairperson of the African Union, when the rotational West African slot becomes available in 2027.
