Nigeria’s 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 ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government. The event took place on Sunday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Nigeria.

Tinubu, who initially rose to power in May 2023, was first elected to the ECOWAS chairmanship position on July 9, 2023, in Guinea-Bissau. In his acceptance speech, President Tinubu emphasized his commitment to consolidating democratic values and upholding the interests of the regional body.

“I have accepted to continue the service to the great members and the great minds that are committed to democratic values and our journey in the region. I will continue to serve our interests and build on democratic values and the structure that we inherited,” Tinubu stated. He expressed gratitude and reaffirmed his dedication to the region’s democratic principles.

To address regional security concerns, President Tinubu appointed the President of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, and the President of Togo, Faure Gnassingbé, as Special Envoys to Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger Republic. Their task is to work closely with the ECOWAS Commission to coordinate efforts in these countries.

In his opening remarks at the summit, President Tinubu called on ECOWAS member states to make financial commitments to combat terrorism in the region. He stressed the importance of operationalizing the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF) and the need for substantial financial resources to ensure its success.

“As we 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,” Tinubu said. “Member states must make extra commitments to providing resources for stabilizing the region.”

Tinubu’s re-election and his focus on security and democratic values signal a continued effort to strengthen the region’s stability and development.