President Bola Tinubu has been re-elected as the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) during the 65th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of States and Government held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Nigeria.

Accepting his re-election, President Tinubu wasted no time in addressing critical regional issues, particularly the need for member states to fulfill their financial commitments to ECOWAS.

He emphasized the crucial role of substantial financial resources in operationalizing the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF) to combat terrorism, banditry, and violent extremism across West Africa.

In his address to the gathering, President Tinubu stressed, “A peaceful and secure society is essential for achieving our potentials. To move to operationalize the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF) in combating terrorism, I must emphasize that the success of this plan requires, not only strong political will, but also substantial financial resources.”

Highlighting the importance of meeting financial obligations, Tinubu urged member states to demonstrate their commitment to regional security and cooperation. He underlined that fulfilling these commitments would enable ECOWAS to effectively address the security challenges facing the region.

President Tinubu also announced Nigeria’s decision to declare the Nigeria National Counter Terrorism Center (NCTC) as a regional center under ECOWAS.

This move aims to enhance capacity building and foster collaboration among member states in combating terrorism and related threats.

Furthermore, Tinubu called for innovative approaches to unlock the economic potential of the region, acknowledging existing economic hurdles and advocating for partnerships, investments, and infrastructure development.

The re-election of President Tinubu and his proactive stance on regional security and economic cooperation underscore Nigeria’s commitment to advancing the goals of ECOWAS and fostering stability and prosperity across West Africa.