Tinubu calls for a manufacturing-led West Africa as ECOWAS opens new headquarters in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu has urged West African countries to accelerate industrialization and build a production-based regional economy, saying that the inauguration of the new Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) headquarters in Abuja should inspire a new commitment to integration, peace and shared prosperity.

Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the inauguration ceremony on Thursday, Tinubu described the new ECOWAS headquarters—popularly referred to as the “Eyes of Africa”—as more than just an architectural achievement, saying it represents the resilience, unity and future aspirations of the regional bloc.

According to a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, the President said the new complex reflects the enduring vision that inspired the founding of ECOWAS more than five decades ago.

“Today not only marks the inauguration of an impressive historical milestone, but also the renewal of an agreement – ​​our agreement with the ideals of regional integration, solidarity and shared prosperity,” said the President.

Tinubu noted that ECOWAS has gained global recognition as one of the most successful regional economic communities in the world through its achievements in democratic governance, peace building, economic cooperation and free movement of people, goods and services.

But he warned that the sub-region continues to face pressing challenges, including terrorism, violent extremism, food insecurity, climate change, economic fragility, public health problems and rising expectations of the younger population.

The President argued that the next phase of regional integration should be driven by economic productivity, not consumption, and called on member countries to strengthen local manufacturing and regional value chains.

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“The time has come to transform our regional markets into regional production bases.

“Our integration must increasingly be driven by what we produce, not what we consume, because a community that consumes what it does not produce will forever be at the mercy of others.”

Tinubu said the future of ECOWAS must rest on industrialization, innovation, investment, manufacturing, expanded intra-African trade and stronger regional supply chains.

Addressing the latest developments in the bloc, he said the withdrawal of three member countries and the developing security reality show that regional cooperation must now go beyond economic interests.

“Regional integration can no longer be a necessity in the economy alone.

“This has become a comprehensive framework for our collective security, our political stability, sustainable development and the well-being of our society,” he said.

Despite his recent exit, Tinubu emphasized that ECOWAS must continue to engage in dialogue and reconciliation with countries that have distanced themselves from the organization.

He also praised the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government and President of Sierra Leone, Julius Bio, for providing stable leadership during a challenging period for the region.

The President further congratulated the ECOWAS Commission for successfully inaugurating the new headquarters and expressed his appreciation to the Government of the People’s Republic of China for funding the project. He also thanked Shaanxi Construction Engineering Group Company Limited, consultants, Nigerian partners and other stakeholders who contributed to the completion of this project.

“May every decision taken within these walls advance peace, unity, prosperity and dignity of the people of West Africa,” the President said.

Earlier, Sierra Leone President Julius Bio described the new headquarters as an opportunity for member states to recommit to serving more than 450 million people across West Africa and strengthen regional institutions.

He observed that the true measure of leadership lies not in the physical infrastructure but in the positive impact it has on people’s lives.

Bio also praised President Tinubu for Nigeria’s financial contributions and consistent leadership in ECOWAS, and described the country as a “great anchor” of the regional bloc, while thanking the Chinese government for its “huge contribution” to the headquarters complex.

President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, also expressed his appreciation to China for funding the project, and described the building as an enduring symbol of regional integration, partnership and cooperation.

Touray noted that China remains a key development partner of ECOWAS through its support of initiatives such as regional standby forces and technological advances, adding that the new headquarters will strengthen the commission’s capacity to implement its expanded mandate.

He said China continues to play a strategic role in the economic, political and social transformation of West Africa and assured that the commission’s management and staff will ensure the facility serves as a center for regional development and stability.

Delivering a message of goodwill, Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Yu Dunhai, congratulated West African leaders on the inauguration, and described the project as a milestone in China’s long-term support for African integration.

He said the partnership between China, ECOWAS and the African continent will continue to be built on mutual trust and practical cooperation that empowers African countries to pursue their own development priorities and aspirations.