Sierra Leone’s President, Julius Maada Bio, has been elected as the new Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), taking over from Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who served in the role for two consecutive years.
The leadership transition was officially announced during the ECOWAS Summit held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where heads of state convened to assess the bloc’s achievements and map out strategic priorities for enhanced regional integration.
President Tinubu’s tenure was marked by a strong focus on economic collaboration, regional peace and security, and the promotion of constitutional governance, especially in countries grappling with military coups.
Contrary to earlier reports suggesting that Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye had been chosen in a closed-door meeting before the summit, the official declaration confirmed President Bio’s election.
In his acceptance speech, President Bio outlined four priority areas for his leadership: the restoration of constitutional order, strengthening democratic institutions, enhancing regional security cooperation, and driving economic integration through credible institutional frameworks.
President Tinubu was first appointed ECOWAS Chair on July 9, 2023, in Guinea-Bissau and was reappointed in 2024 to maintain leadership continuity in addressing the region’s key challenges related to security, political reconciliation, and development.
