President Bola Tinubu has urged West African nations to accelerate industrialisation and build a production-driven regional economy, saying the inauguration of the new Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) headquarters in Abuja should inspire a renewed commitment to integration, peace and shared prosperity.
Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the commissioning ceremony on Thursday, Tinubu described the new ECOWAS headquarters—popularly referred to as the “Eye of Africa”—as more than 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 establishment of ECOWAS over five decades ago.
“Today marks not only the inauguration of an impressive landmark, but the renewal of a covenant—our covenant with the ideals of regional integration, solidarity and shared prosperity,” the President said.
Tinubu noted that ECOWAS has earned global recognition as one of the world’s most successful regional economic communities through its achievements in democratic governance, peacebuilding, economic cooperation and the free movement of people, goods and services.
He, however, cautioned that the sub-region continues to face pressing challenges, including terrorism, violent extremism, food insecurity, climate change, economic fragility, public health concerns and the growing expectations of its youthful population.
The President argued that the next phase of regional integration must be driven by economic productivity rather than consumption, calling on member states to strengthen local manufacturing and regional value chains.
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“The hour has come to transform our regional market into a regional production base.
“Our integration must increasingly be driven by what we produce rather than by what we consume, for a community that consumes what it does not make will forever live at the mercy of the goodwill of others.”
Tinubu said the future of ECOWAS should be anchored on industrialisation, innovation, investment, manufacturing, expanded intra-African trade and stronger regional supply chains.
Addressing recent developments within the bloc, he said the withdrawal of three member states and evolving security realities demonstrate that regional cooperation must now extend well beyond economic interests.
“Regional integration can no longer be an economic imperative alone.