By Emmanuel Obisue
As the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, celebrates its 50th anniversary, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, has expressed strong optimism about the region’s economic future.
Speaking on Wednesday at a commemorative event, Ambassador Tuggar emphasized that West Africa is well-positioned for significant economic growth, thanks to decades of regional collaboration and the expanding opportunities in global trade.
“We will not miss out on the coming economic boom across the Atlantic,” he said. “This time, we will be organized under ECOWAS and we will ensure that the growth is inclusive and fair,” he added.
He highlighted key ECOWAS initiatives contributing to regional development, including the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme, the SIGMAT customs management system, the Abidjan-Lagos and Abidjan-Dakar transport corridors, the West African Power Pool, and the African-Atlantic Gas Pipeline framework.
Reflecting on the historical challenges the region has faced — particularly the lasting impact of colonialism and the transatlantic trade — Tuggar emphasized the need for West Africa to take greater control of its economic destiny. He called for greater unity and regional integration to leverage the region’s vast potential.
Tuggar also underlined the importance of multilateral cooperation in addressing emerging global threats. “Now more than ever, we need ECOWAS to confront issues such as unfiltered data, unregulated cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence, climate change, organized crime, cyber-slavery, human trafficking, and violent extremism,” he stated.
He concluded by pointing to the region’s youthful population and wealth of talent as key assets for future progress. “This time, we will harness our youth and creativity to drive sustainable development,” Tuggar affirmed.
