ECOWAS heads of state and government have agreed to forge a united front to end the spread of military coups across West Africa.
The leaders also resolved to curb terrorism and other forms of insecurity threatening the region.
The decision was taken in Abuja on Sunday during the 68th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority, following repeated military takeovers in the Sahel.
President Bola Tinubu said incessant coups, organised crime, arms proliferation and cyber insecurity were regional crises requiring collective action.
“These forms of criminality have no respect for borders,” Mr Tinubu told fellow leaders at the Nigeria-hosted summit.
He acknowledged disagreements among member states but said differences did not erase shared identity or collective responsibility.
“External threats confronting West Africa today demand nothing less than a united front,” he said.
He warned that terrorism, unconstitutional changes of government and climate shocks recognise no borders across the region.
“No single member state can achieve enduring stability in isolation. Our security and prosperity are indivisible. We must act with shared resolve,” Mr Tinubu said.
He reaffirmed Nigeria’s “unwavering commitment” to ECOWAS ideals and collective defence of the region’s future.
“Our unity is not transactional, but foundational. Fraternity, not force, must define ECOWAS,” he said.
Mr Tinubu regretted the deepening of internal disagreements, warning that they had shaken the bloc’s foundations.
“We are most vulnerable not when challenged from outside, but when weakened from within,” Mr Tinubu said.
He thanked member states for their efforts to restore stability and confidence across West Africa.
“Our shared geography is an opportunity to protect the dignity of our peoples,” he added.
ECOWAS Authority chairman, President Julius Maada Bio, thanked Mr Tinubu and Nigeria for hosting the session.
Mr Bio praised Nigeria’s leadership and commended its role in safeguarding constitutional order in the Benin Republic.
He described the session as a defining moment for ECOWAS and a turning point for over 400 million West Africans.
Mr Bio disclosed that from January 2026, ECOWAS would reduce air travel costs across the region.
ECOWAS Commission president Omar Touray acknowledged support from foreign and continental partners. He said recent events showed the strength of regional solidarity and swift collective responses.
Mr Touray cited instability in Guinea-Bissau and an attempted coup in the Benin Republic, both of which were addressed through decisive regional action. He also revealed that Aliko Dangote will serve as chairman of the ECOWAS Business Council.
AU Commission chairperson Mahmoud Youssouf said the session strengthened coordination to advance democracy and regional stability. He described recent coup attempts as “unacceptable to the African Union”.

(NAN)