Nigeria and the Republic of Benin on Saturday signed a historic agreement aimed at deepening bilateral integration and setting the pace for broader regional cooperation across West Africa.
The pact was signed in Abuja during the inaugural West Africa Economic Summit (WAES), with Presidents Bola Tinubu of Nigeria and Patrice Talon of the Benin Republic witnessing the ceremony and issuing a joint call for decisive reforms to reinvigorate regional integration within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, signed on behalf of Nigeria, while Benin’s Minister of Industry and Trade, Shadiya Alimatou Assouman, and Foreign Minister Shegun Adjadi Bakari signed for Benin.
Describing the move as a bold step toward practical cooperation, President Talon said, “President Tinubu and I have agreed on full integration between Benin and Nigeria. The responsibility now lies with our ministers to implement it. Benin and Nigeria are more than twins; we are the same people. Let us show the region that integration is possible.”
Talon used the occasion to issue a stern warning on the state of ECOWAS, which he described as “in crisis,” citing numerous stalled infrastructure and trade projects.
“ECOWAS should be a model of integration, but it has become paralysed by administrative bottlenecks and inefficiencies,” he lamented.
“From the West African Gas Pipeline to the West African Power Pool, the failures are costing us time, resources, and development.”
He revealed that due to delays in the regional gas network, Benin now sources gas from Qatar via a floating regasification facility.
On road transport and trade, he decried the harassment and delays along the Lagos-Abidjan Corridor, arguing that
“integration is not real if a businessman needs days and bribes to travel a few hundred kilometres.”
Talon also identified poverty as the greatest threat to regional peace and democracy, stating, “Poverty is our most dangerous destabiliser. Without economic integration, democracy and liberty are mere words.”
He added, in reference to changing global trade trends, “President Trump’s protectionism reminded us that every nation acts in its interest. So must we. If anything, we may end up thanking him for waking us up.”
President Tinubu, who currently chairs the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to promoting meaningful integration, describing the Nigeria-Benin accord as a signal to the entire region that unity and shared prosperity are achievable.
The WAES summit, held ahead of the 67th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority scheduled for Sunday, June 22, brought together several West African leaders and senior officials.
President Joseph Boakai of Liberia praised the summit as “timely and strategic,” reaffirming Liberia’s support for regional blocs like ECOWAS and the Mano River Union in tackling trade barriers and harmonising policies.
“The challenges are complex but not insurmountable,” he said.
President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone called for accelerated efforts toward trade and monetary integration, warning of the mounting pressures of public debt, food insecurity, climate risks, and geopolitical uncertainty.
“To unlock our region’s economic potential, we need political will and coordinated action. We must implement initiatives like the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme and the Common External Tariff,” he said.
Bio also voiced strong support for a single regional currency, saying it would “reduce exchange costs, support price stability, and enhance the regional business environment.”
The summit also featured recorded statements from United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed and Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, both of whom underscored the urgent need for West African unity, resilience, and inclusive development.
