Nigeria and the Republic of Benin have signed a historic agreement to deepen bilateral cooperation and set a precedent for broader collaboration across the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The signing ceremony took place during the 2025 West Africa Economic Summit (WAES) in Abuja, witnessed by President Bola Tinubu and Benin Republic President Patrice Talon.
The agreement, signed by Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, alongside Benin’s Minister of Industry and Trade, Shadiya Alimatou Assouman, and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Shegun Adjadi Bakari, aims to accelerate regional reforms and promote economic integration.
This landmark deal signals a new era of unity and shared prosperity within ECOWAS, with President Tinubu emphasizing the need for West African countries to work in coordination to achieve global economic relevance.
President Talon highlighted the importance of addressing poverty through integration, citing it as the main threat to democracy, security, and stability in the region.
He also called for urgent reforms within ECOWAS, describing the regional bloc as facing a crisis of credibility and functionality.
Other West African leaders, including Liberian President Joseph Boakai and Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio, reaffirmed their commitment to regional integration and economic cooperation.
