West African leaders gathered in Ghana’s capital today to launch yearlong celebrations commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The event brought together foreign ministers and heads of state from across the region to reflect on five decades of economic cooperation and regional integration.
Ghana’s Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa opened the ceremonies by highlighting ECOWAS’s evolution from a basic economic framework to a multifaceted organization addressing peacekeeping, trade liberalization and social development. “What began as modest economic cooperation has transformed into a dynamic force for regional progress,” Ablakwa told assembled dignitaries at the April 22 launch event.
ECOWAS Commission President Dr. Omar Alieu Touray outlined key achievements including the Free Movement Protocol, trade benefits for over 15,000 companies through the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme, and major infrastructure projects linking coastal capitals. He noted the region’s security successes, particularly the elimination of piracy incidents in 2024 following interventions in Liberia, Sierra Leone and other member states.
The anniversary comes as the 15-nation bloc faces contemporary challenges including trade barriers, security threats and delayed monetary union plans. Nigeria’s representative, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, delivered a message from ECOWAS Chairman President Bola Tinubu calling for renewed commitment to integration. “We must strengthen institutions, empower our youth and accelerate plans for a single currency,” she stated.
Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama announced 1,000 university scholarships for West African youth as part of anniversary initiatives to deepen regional ties. “ECOWAS must remain relevant to the 400 million citizens we serve,” Mahama emphasized. “Our people should see this organization not as a distant bureaucracy but as a vehicle for their aspirations.”
Founded on May 28, 1975 through the Lagos Treaty signed by 15 nations, ECOWAS has expanded from its original economic mandate to address peacekeeping, health crises and democratic governance. The anniversary program will include regional events culminating in a May 2026 summit where leaders are expected to outline reforms addressing contemporary integration challenges.
The launch coincides with growing calls for ECOWAS to revitalize its approach to regional cooperation. While the bloc has eliminated visa requirements and established a standby military force, implementation gaps persist in areas like the ECOWAS single currency project, originally planned for 2003. Recent tensions over democratic backsliding in some member states and disagreements about regional security interventions have tested the organization’s unity.
Analysts note the anniversary provides an opportunity to reassess institutional mechanisms as West Africa faces new challenges including climate migration, food insecurity and the need for economic diversification. The coming months will see commemorative activities across member states aimed at engaging civil society and private sector stakeholders in shaping the next phase of regional integration.
