Abuja, Nigeria – June 22, 2025
President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone has been officially elected as the new Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, succeeding Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose two-term tenure at the helm of the regional bloc has come to an end.
The handover took place during the 67th Ordinary Session of the Authority held in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, marking a significant transition in the leadership of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
President Tinubu, who was first elected to the chairmanship in Guinea-Bissau on July 9, 2023, and re-elected in 2024, handed over the reins after a two-year tenure focused on strengthening security cooperation, promoting democratic stability, and fostering regional development. His leadership saw consistent engagement with regional crises, dialogue for democratic transitions, and a renewed push for economic collaboration across West Africa.
Contrary to widespread speculation ahead of the session, it was not Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye who was elected in a closed-door pre-session meeting, but rather President Bio who emerged as the consensus candidate.
In his inaugural address, President Bio pledged to build on the progress made by his predecessors and committed to four priority areas:
- Restoring constitutional order and deepening democracy
- Revitalising regional security cooperation
- Unlocking economic integration opportunities
- Building institutional credibility within ECOWAS
His emergence is seen as a call for renewed energy and unity as the region grapples with persistent security threats, recent unconstitutional changes of government, and economic disruptions.
As President Bio assumes leadership, expectations are high for continued efforts to consolidate peace, strengthen ECOWAS institutions, and accelerate the journey toward regional integration — including the long-anticipated ECO single currency project.
The Abuja summit brought together leaders from across the subregion, reinforcing ECOWAS’ resolve to uphold democratic values and promote collective prosperity for West Africa’s over 400 million citizens.
His leadership has sparked hope for a brighter future in the region. The Abuja summit highlighted the importance of unity in tackling pressing challenges. It’s encouraging to see ECOWAS prioritizing democratic values and economic stability. How can citizens actively contribute to these efforts for lasting change? Given the growing economic instability due to the events in the Middle East, many businesses are looking for guaranteed fast and secure payment solutions. Recently, I came across LiberSave (LS) — they promise instant bank transfers with no chargebacks or card verification. It says integration takes 5 minutes and is already being tested in Israel and the UAE. Has anyone actually checked how this works in crisis conditions?