ECOWAS @50West Africa Heads to Lagos for Historic Golden Jubilee Celebration – Wednesday, May 28, 2025.
By Raymond Enoch
As the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) approaches its golden jubilee on May 28, 2025, the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) in Lagos will host a landmark celebration marking 50 years of regional unity, cooperation, and progress.
ECOWAS founded in 1975 under the leadership of Nigeria’s then Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (Rtd), who is expected to be honored at the event. Half a century later, the regional body returns to Nigeria with its legacy of impactful reforms and resilience.
Headquartered in Abuja, ECOWAS boasts a robust institutional secretariat, a thriving 25-year-old parliament, and a growing influence across member states. Its protocols on free movement of goods and people (ETLS), improved regional security architecture, governance frameworks, and early warning response mechanisms have deepened integration and stability in West Africa.
As the organization looks ahead, the Lagos event will not only celebrate past achievements but also chart a renewed vision for the next 50 years of West African solidarity and development.
