Tinubu urges industrialised West Africa at ECOWAS HQ inauguration

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President Bola Tinubu on Thursday said the inauguration of the new headquarters of the Economic Community of West African States in Abuja would renew the commitment to regional integration, peace, industrialisation and shared prosperity across West Africa.

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Tinubu described the new edifice as a symbol of renewal, resilience and confidence in the future of ECOWAS.

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He also called for a shift from being a regional market to becoming a regional production base, according to a statement issued on Thursday by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications to the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha.

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Speaking through Vice President Kashim Shettima at the commissioning of the new headquarters in Abuja, Tinubu said the new ECOWAS complex, described as the “Eye of Africa,” symbolises the region’s collective resolve to preserve the ideals that inspired the founding of the community more than five decades ago.

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“Today marks not only the inauguration of an impressive landmark, but the renewal of a covenant—our covenant with the ideals of regional integration, solidarity and shared prosperity,” the President said.

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He noted that ECOWAS has remained one of the world’s most respected regional economic communities, recording significant progress in peacebuilding, democratic governance, economic cooperation, and the free movement of people, goods and services.

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However, Tinubu warned that the region must not ignore the serious challenges confronting it, including terrorism, violent extremism, economic vulnerability, food insecurity, climate change, public health concerns and the expectations of a growing youthful population.

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According to him, the next stage of West African integration must move beyond speeches and aspirations to practical economic transformation.

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He said, “The hour has come to transform our regional market into a regional production base.

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“Our integration must increasingly be driven by what we produce rather than by what we consume, for a community that consumes what it does not make will forever live at the mercy of the goodwill of others.”

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Tinubu said deeper industrialisation, stronger regional value chains, expanded intra-regional trade, innovation, manufacturing and investment must define the future of ECOWAS.

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He also addressed the recent withdrawal of three member states from the bloc, noting that the development and the changing security situation in the region have shown that integration can no longer be viewed solely through an economic lens.

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“Regional integration can no longer be an economic imperative alone.

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“It has become a comprehensive framework for our collective security, our political stability, our sustainable development and the welfare of our peoples,” he said.

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Tinubu added that the door of the community must remain open to countries that have chosen to stand apart, stressing the need for renewed dialogue, deeper solidarity and collective responsibility.

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The Nigerian leader commended the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government and President of Sierra Leone, Julius Bio, for what he described as steady leadership at a time that demands courage and conviction.

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He also congratulated the President and management of the ECOWAS Commission for delivering the project, saying the new headquarters reflects the region’s determination to build enduring institutions.

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Tinubu expressed Nigeria’s and ECOWAS’ appreciation to the Government of the People’s Republic of China for financing the new complex, as well as Shaanxi Construction Engineering Group Company Limited, consultants, Nigerian counterparts and other stakeholders involved in the project.

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“May every decision taken within these walls advance the peace, the unity, the prosperity, and the dignity of the peoples of West Africa,” the President said.

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Earlier, Bio said the landmark project provides member states with an opportunity to renew their collective commitment to the 450 million people of West Africa while reaffirming their determination to build a more effective regional body.

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According to him, history does not remember generations for the buildings they construct, but for the lives they transform.

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Bio thanked President Tinubu for Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to ECOWAS through sustained financial and leadership support over the years, describing the country as “a great anchor” of the West African bloc.

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He also appreciated the Government of China for its “generous donation” of the bloc’s headquarters building.

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For his part, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, expressed appreciation to the Government and people of China for donating the building, which he said would serve as a symbol of regional partnership and integration and a centre for enhancing coordination and support for the commission’s expanding mandate.

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He recalled China’s contributions across ECOWAS, including support for the regional standby force and technology adoption.

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Touray said China remains one of the region’s most strategic partners for economic, political and social transformation.

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He added that the management and staff of the commission were mindful of the responsibility of ensuring that the new headquarters serves as a centre for regional transformation and social stability.

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In a goodwill message, the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Yu Dunhai, congratulated the leaders and people of West Africa on the inauguration of the edifice, describing it as another milestone in China’s support for Africa’s integration and a reflection of the enduring relationship between China and the continent.

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Dunhai said the future of China’s relationship with ECOWAS and Africa would continue to be anchored on mutual trust and practical cooperation that enables Africa to determine its own development aspirations and pathways.

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