President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in his capacity as Chairperson of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, delivered a powerful opening address at the inaugural West Africa Economic Summit held on Saturday, June 21, 2025, in Abuja.
Speaking before fellow West African leaders, diplomats, and stakeholders, Tinubu called for urgent and bold action to transform the region’s economic future, urging member states to move beyond rhetoric and embrace practical steps toward regional integration, industrialisation, and youth empowerment.
His speech set the tone for a summit focused on repositioning West Africa as a competitive, investable, and united economic bloc.
1. Call for Economic Integration:
Tinubu urged West African leaders to move beyond “fragmentation and missed opportunities” and work toward deeper regional integration, collaboration, and shared prosperity.
2. Intra-Regional Trade Under 10%:
He noted that intra-regional trade in West Africa remains below 10%, describing this as a “coordination failure,” not a failure of will.
3. Youth as a Regional Asset:
Tinubu highlighted West Africa’s young population as its greatest asset but warned it could become a liability without serious investment in education, digital infrastructure, innovation, and job creation.
4. Infrastructure and Regional Projects:
He praised joint projects like the Lagos-Abidjan Highway and the West African Power Pool as examples of successful collaboration, but called for more practical implementation beyond policy talk.
5. Industrial Revolution and Local Value Chains:
The president warned that Africa must not miss out on the next industrial revolution. He stressed the need to process its rare minerals locally rather than just exporting raw resources, advocating for regional manufacturing and value addition.
6. Private Sector as Growth Engine:
Tinubu stated that transformation must come from the people and the private sector, while governments must provide law, order, and market-friendly policies to enable growth.
7. Concrete Goals for the Summit:
He called for actionable outcomes, including improved ease of doing business, enhanced trade, better infrastructure, and opportunities for youth and women.
8. Vision for West Africa:
Tinubu concluded with a clear vision: to make West Africa “investable, competitive, and resilient” through unity, responsibility, and forward-looking leadership.
