The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) recorded economic growth of 4.6 per cent in 2025 despite mounting global economic headwinds, with projections pointing to a further rise to 5 per cent in 2026, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, has said.
Touray disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during a meeting with development partners, where he presented highlights of the commission’s 2025 Annual Report.
He said the West African bloc outperformed the continental average in 2025, driven by structural reforms, increased investment in mining and energy, improved regional trade facilitation, and a strong rebound in services, transport, and tourism.
“This robust performance is driven by structural reforms, rising investment in mining and energy, improvement in regional trade facilitation, and a strong rebound in services, transport, and tourism,” he said.
According to Touray, inflation remained elevated in some member states but declined in others as a result of coordinated monetary policies and improved food supply conditions.
“Our fiscal deficits have narrowed significantly as governments strengthen revenue mobilisation and rationalise public expenditure,” he said.
“Our debt-to-GDP ratio has also declined modestly, reflecting strong nominal growth and improved macroeconomic management,” Touray added.
He noted that the sub-region’s external position remained sound, supported by a strengthened current account surplus driven by high export earnings from oil, gold, and bauxite.
“We are meeting at a time when the global economy is undergoing profound transformation.
“Geopolitical tensions, restructuring of supply chains, and the rapid acceleration of digital and green transitions continue to reshape the global economic system,” he said.
Touray observed that while global growth slowed in 2025 and uncertainty remained high, Africa continued to show resilience amid easing inflationary pressures.
“Yet in the midst of these global headwinds, Africa continues to demonstrate remarkable resilience.
“Growth is recovering, inflation is declining, and political stability has improved in a number of countries,” he said.
On peace and security, Touray said the issue remained central to ECOWAS’ mandate, noting that the bloc intensified preventive diplomacy, mediation and democratic support across the region in 2025.
“Peace and security remain at the heart of our mandate, because insecurity in parts of the region remains a major concern,” he stressed.
He said ECOWAS was continuing to manage the implications of the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from the bloc, while keeping channels open for constructive engagement.
Touray disclosed that the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff completed the rotation of the Standby Force and strengthened preparations for both the Standby Force and the 1,650-strong Counterterrorism Brigade.
He said progress was made in tackling organised crime and terrorism, with ECOWAS formally taking over the West Africa Police Information System after 12 years under Interpol.
However, he noted that reduced cooperation with the Alliance of Sahel States following their withdrawal had complicated counterterrorism efforts.
“While attacks declined slightly, fatalities increased due to the rising use of improvised explosive devices,” Touray said.
On governance, he said ECOWAS supported several member states, including Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau, in electoral preparations, political transitions and institutional reforms.
He added that the bloc recorded steady progress in economic integration, including the launch of the second phase of the pre-movement and migration project and the validation of the ECOWAS Visa Online approach.
“Seven of our member states are now implementing the ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card, and the most recent one is the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.
Touray said ECOWAS’ initiatives for women and youth delivered tangible results, with more than 1,300 small-scale cross-border traders and 50 women-led small and medium-sized enterprises benefiting from capacity-building programmes, while digital skills training expanded opportunities for rural women.
According to him, the commission committed about 8 million dollars to humanitarian emergencies and disaster risk reduction, while drug rehabilitation services were expanded to 10 centres across the region.
On regional infrastructure and energy development, Touray said ECOWAS mobilised more than $42 million for preparatory studies on regional road networks and advanced work on the Praia–Dakar–Abidjan Corridor, with support from the African Development Bank.
Reaffirming the bloc’s stance on governance, he stressed ECOWAS’ zero tolerance for unconstitutional changes of government.
“There is now zero tolerance for anti-constitutional behaviour in the region.
“ECOWAS stands for no coups, and we will continue to maintain that position,” he said.
Commenting on recent political developments in Guinea-Bissau, Touray called for a short transition led by an inclusive government with a limited mandate to implement constitutional and electoral reforms.
He also announced that sanctions imposed on the Republic of Guinea had been lifted following satisfactory elections.
“This is the first time since my arrival in ECOWAS that I am sitting in front of the Ambassador of Guinea in an ECOWAS meeting.
“Guinea has been welcomed back as a full-fledged member of ECOWAS,” he said.
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