Vice President Kashim Shettima has departed Abuja for Freetown, Sierra Leone, to represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Summit, where regional leaders are expected to deliberate on pressing political, security and economic challenges facing West Africa.
The summit will bring together Heads of State and Government from the 15-member regional bloc to review developments across the sub-region, including democratic governance, regional security, economic integration and the implementation of key ECOWAS initiatives.
Shettima’s participation comes as ECOWAS continues efforts to address persistent insecurity, terrorism, unconstitutional changes of government and the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from the regional bloc. Leaders are also expected to discuss strategies to strengthen peace, promote economic cooperation and deepen regional integration.
As Chair of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, President Tinubu has played a central role in the bloc’s diplomatic engagements aimed at restoring constitutional order in member states and enhancing collective security across West Africa. The Vice President is expected to convey Nigeria’s position on these issues during the summit.
Discussions are also likely to focus on the progress of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme, infrastructure development, cross-border commerce and initiatives designed to boost economic growth and improve the free movement of people and goods within the region.
The summit is expected to review reports from the ECOWAS Commission on the state of the community and consider recommendations on governance reforms, regional peacekeeping efforts and institutional strengthening.
Nigeria remains one of ECOWAS’ founding members and largest contributors, playing a leading role in the bloc’s peacekeeping operations, economic development programmes and efforts to foster political stability across West Africa.
The outcomes of the Freetown meeting are expected to shape ECOWAS’ policy direction in the coming months as member states seek coordinated responses to the region’s evolving political and security landscape.
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