President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone has succeeded his Nigeria’s counterpart, Bola Tinubu, as the new Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Authority of Heads of State and Government.
In his acceptance speech, Bio outlined four key priorities.
He pledged to lead a renewed, people-centred, and action-oriented ECOWAS in the face of unprecedented challenges and opportunities for the West African region.
Bio said his leadership would focus on restoring constitutional order and deepening democracy, revitalising regional security cooperation, unlocking economic integration, and building institutional credibility.
“We must engage transitional governments constructively and support member states in building stronger democratic institutions rooted in the rule of law. We must overhaul our collective security architecture—from intelligence sharing to rapid response capabilities—to confront new threats with unity and resolve”, he said.
According to him, “the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme, regional infrastructure, and cross-border value chains must become engines of job creation, trade, and resilience, especially for our women and youth.
“ECOWAS must reform itself to become more transparent, efficient, and responsive to the needs of its people. This is how we will rebuild trust in regional cooperation,” he added.
Bio commended his predecessor, Tinubu, for laying a solid foundation of regional dialogue, economic recovery, and peace-building.
“I am humbled to build upon the strong foundation you have established,” he said, thanking President Tinubu for his experience and leadership.
Acknowledging the complexities of the current moment, the Sierra Leonean leader noted that West Africa stands at a crossroads, grappling with terrorism, illicit arms flow, political instability, and transnational crime, particularly in the Sahel and coastal states.
“The democratic space is under strain in parts of our region. In some countries, the constitutional order has been disrupted.
“Yet, across West Africa, citizens—especially our youth—are demanding not just elections, but also accountability, transparency, and a fair stake in national life,” he said.
Tinubu ended his two-year tenure at the ECOWAS Authority’s 67th Ordinary Session by symbolically handing over the Emblem to the new leader of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.
