Sierra Leone President, Julius Maada Bio Takes Over ECOWAS Chairmanship From Tinubu

Sierra Leone’s President, Julius Maada Bio, has been named the new Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.

Julius Maada Bio took over from Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, whose two-year leadership has come to an end.

The handover took place during the 67th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority, where Tinubu passed on the symbolic Emblem of office to Bio.

Reflecting on his term, Tinubu said it had been a great honour to serve since July 2023.

He expressed pride in the progress made and optimism about the future of West Africa.

“As I now hand over the mantle of leadership to my great friend and dear brother, His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone, the new Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, I do so with a deep sense of fulfilment and optimism for the future of West Africa.

“I remain confident that with the continued cooperation of all its members, ECOWAS will scale greater heights in our collective pursuit of peace, security, stability, and prosperity for our people and our region,” he said.

Looking back on his tenure, Tinubu acknowledged the political and security challenges the region faced.

He urged West African leaders to keep working together, especially to meet the growing needs of young people, women, and vulnerable communities.

“Let us deepen cooperation, uphold diplomatic principles, and foster inclusive growth that leaves no one behind—especially our youth, women, and vulnerable populations, who remain central to the future of our region,” he said.

He also stressed the importance of democracy and political stability, saying economic growth cannot happen without a peaceful and stable political environment.

“Our organisation must continue to strike a fine balance between its core regional mandate of economic integration and the complex political, security, and governance challenges, including preserving democratic values in our region.

“Economic integration cannot be superimposed on an untenable political environment.

“That is why we must remain steadfast in our resolve to rise to these emerging challenges,” he said.

Tinubu also praised the ECOWAS Commission, staff, and other institutions for their support and professionalism during his term.

He called on member states to stay united and committed to building a prosperous and secure West Africa.

“As you return to your respective countries, let us remain resolute in our shared mission to deepen our integration, protect our people, and build a prosperous, secure, and united West Africa,” he said.

In his first address as Chairman, President Bio laid out four key areas he plans to focus on including restoring democratic rule, boosting regional security collaboration, enhancing economic integration, and making ECOWAS institutions more effective and accountable.

“We must engage transitional governments constructively and support member states in building stronger democratic institutions rooted in the rule of law.

“We must overhaul our collective security architecture—from intelligence sharing to rapid response capabilities—to confront new threats with unity and resolve.

“The ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme, regional infrastructure, and cross-border value chains must become engines of job creation, trade, and resilience, especially for our women and youth.

“ECOWAS must reform itself to become more transparent, efficient, and responsive to the needs of its people. This is how we will rebuild trust in regional cooperation,” he said.

The Sierra Leone president emphasized using trade, infrastructure, and cross-border cooperation to drive job creation, especially for women and youth.

He also stressed the importance of reforming ECOWAS to better serve the people, noting that transparency and efficiency are key to rebuilding public trust.

Bio thanked Tinubu for his leadership, saying he would build on the progress made in peace efforts, economic recovery, and dialogue across the region.

“I am humbled to build upon the strong foundation you have established,” he said, thanking President Tinubu for his experience and leadership,” he said.

He pledged to lead ECOWAS with a focus on people-centered progress and practical solutions to the region’s biggest challenges.

“The democratic space is under strain in parts of our region. In some countries, the constitutional order has been disrupted.

“Yet, across West Africa, citizens—especially our youth—are demanding not just elections, but also accountability, transparency, and a fair stake in national life,” he said.

KanyiDaily recalls that in 2023, Bola Tinubu emerged as the Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).