President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria has been elected as the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Authority of Heads of State and Government. This historic appointment took place during the 63rd Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS forum held in Bissau, the capital of Guinea-Bissau.
As the newly elected Chairman, Tinubu assumes the responsibility of guiding the member states of ECOWAS towards economic growth, political stability, and regional cooperation. He succeeds President Umaro Sissoco Embaló of Guinea-Bissau in leading this sub-regional political and economic body.
It is worth noting that Tinubu is not the first Nigerian president to hold this prestigious position. Several past Nigerian presidents have previously chaired ECOWAS, each contributing to the advancement of the region during their tenure.
The list of Nigerian Presidents who have served as Chairman of ECOWAS, along with the respective periods they led the body, are as follows:
- Sani Abacha – 27 July 1996 to 8 June 1998
- Abdulsalami Abubakar – 9 June 1998 to 1999
- Umaru Musa Yar’Adua – 19 December 2008 to 18 February 2010
- Goodluck Jonathan – 18 February 2010 to 17 February 2012
- Muhammadu Buhari – 31 July 2018 to 29 June 2019
- Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria – 9 July 2023 to present
With Tinubu’s election as Chairman, Nigeria continues its legacy of leadership within ECOWAS, contributing to the development and progress of West Africa as a whole.
