Nigeria has called on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to deepen regional cooperation against terrorism and transnational crime while maintaining dialogue with Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to address security and governance challenges.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, made the call at the 56th Session of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council in Freetown, Sierra Leone, where he reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to regional peace, security and democratic governance.
The minister urged member states to promptly pay the ECOWAS Community Levy, describing it as essential to the effective operation of the regional bloc and noting that Nigeria had continued to meet its obligations despite domestic challenges.
Enikanolaiye called for a stronger collective response to terrorism, piracy, banditry and organised crime, highlighting Nigeria’s ongoing military operations and coordinated security efforts, which he said had improved security in the Gulf of Guinea.
He also reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to credible elections, saying preparations for the 2027 general elections were underway and inviting ECOWAS member states and international observers to monitor the polls.
The minister condemned rising Afrophobic attacks in South Africa, describing them as unacceptable and urging ECOWAS to adopt a firm position on the issue for presentation to the African Union.
Enikanolaiye further advocated sustained engagement with Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Guinea-Bissau, urging ECOWAS to adopt innovative strategies that would strengthen democracy, regional peace and stability amid evolving security challenges.
