President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on leaders of ECOWAS member states to resist unconstitutional changes of government.
The President said that the evolving threats confronting West Africa require a united and coordinated regional response.
Addressing leaders of the regional bloc at the 68th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), President Tinubu stressed that West Africa’s increasingly porous borders make collective action unavoidable, noting that security threats do not respect national boundaries.
OPENING OF THE ECOWAS 68TH ORDINARY SESSION OF THE AUTHORITY OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT IN ABUJA
The 68th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) opens in Abuja, capital of the Federal… pic.twitter.com/BspKDJZLoY
— Ecowas – Cedeao (@ecowas_cedeao) December 14, 2025
President Tinubu stated that no member state, regardless of its size or capacity, can secure enduring stability on its own, emphasising that West Africa’s security, prosperity, and resilience are collective responsibilities that require consultation, unity of voice, and coordinated action.
“Excellencies, the external threats confronting West Africa today demand nothing less than a united front, terrorism, violent extremism, unconstitutional changes of government, transnational organised crime, arms for liberation, cyber insecurity, climate shocks, food insecurity and irregular migration. Recognise small borders.
“No single member state, regardless of size, can achieve enduring stability in isolation, our security, prosperity and resilience are individual we must sit at the same table, speak with one voice and act with shared results.”
Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, the Nigerian leader reaffirmed his conviction that fraternity, rather than force, must shape the future of the ECOWAS community.
“This is the position of Nigeria, and it is the abiding conviction of His Excellency President Bola Tinubu, whose actions have consistently signalled that our unity is not transactional but foundational. We remain persuaded that fraternity, not force, must define the future of our community.
“This session could not have come at a more consequential moment. We have, in recent times, allowed our differences to shake the very foundations of our union, yet history reminds us that ECOWAS can only fulfil the purpose of inspiration when every member state upholds the values of pureness, justice and equity within its domestic affairs.
“A community is only as strong as it is we are most vulnerable, not when challenged from outside, but when weakened from within. Time and again, we have demonstrated that we are not traced to one another. Our shared challenge is to ensure that internal divisions do not erode the collective sense we have built over decades.”
President Tinubu reassured the regional bloc of Nigeria’s proven fidelity to the ideals of the ECOWAS Community and unwavering commitment to collective action in the defence of the region’s common future.
“Nigeria is here to reassure this authority of her proven fidelity to the ideals of our community and her unwavering commitment to collective action in defence of our common future.”
Present are President Julius Bio of Sierra Leone, who chairs the ECOWAS, José Maria Neves (Cabo Verde), Bassirou Faye (Senegal), and Faure Gnassingbé (Togo).
Alassane Ouattara (Côte d’Ivoire), Adama Barrow (The Gambia), John Mahama (Ghana), Umaro Embaló Representatives of Guinea-Bissau ,the Republic of Benin, Liberia.