This year marks a turning point for West Africa. The regional organisation is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary, with a legacy of progress but also of profound questioning. In this report, we take a look back at 50 years of integration and turbulence, from free movement to the common market and political crises.
Founded in 1975 in Lagos, ECOWAS celebrates its fiftieth anniversary on 28 May 2025. For half a century, this regional organisation has been striving to strengthen economic and political integration in West Africa. Its main achievements include the free movement of people and goods between its 15 member states, facilitating trade and mobility. Thanks to this dynamic, a common market estimated at more than 700 billion dollars has been created, affecting almost 400 million people. Despite the challenges, ECOWAS remains a pillar of regional cooperation.
As you know, ECOWAS is the only region in Africa where citizens enjoy freedom of movement, residence and establishment in any member state. You only have to travel across the African continent to realise the difficulties that Africans face within Africa itself. Beyond that, you have the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), which has invested heavily in member states, mobilising resources and investing in strategic areas. To date, this is a region where there is no armed conflict between two countries. We have insecurity, but it is of a different nature.
Omar Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission
ECOWAS’s golden jubilee is taking place in a tense context, marked by considerable internal turbulence. The withdrawal of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, all facing military political transitions, reveals a deep rift within the organisation. This collective departure calls into question regional cohesion and weakens the authority of ECOWAS, particularly in the face of the political and security crises shaking the region. According to some experts, the growing divergence between the aspirations of the people, the political choices of governments and the organisation’s line of action calls for far-reaching reforms within the regional institution.
The challenges that have given rise to public discontent should give us food for thought, and form the basis of our thinking for the future. I see this public discontent, as you say, as a wake-up call for us to listen to the people and to act, if necessary, differently to meet these expectations or demands. I think it’s our duty to listen to what people are saying so that we can respond positively and appropriately.
Omar Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission
As it approaches its fiftieth anniversary, ECOWAS stands at a decisive turning point. Reaffirming its founding principles of integration and solidarity is crucial if we are to overcome the current challenges and build a promising future for West Africa.
