Nigeria and the Republic of Benin have reportedly signed a new agreement to boost economic and political integration.
The signing took place at the first-ever West Africa Economic Summit held in Abuja and was witnessed by both Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Benin’s President Patrice Talon.
Top government officials from both countries signed the deal, which is expected to serve as a model for the wider ECOWAS region.
Speaking at the event, President Talon declared that Benin and Nigeria are not just neighbours but one people.
He called on their respective ministers to act swiftly in making the integration a reality.
Talon didn’t hold back in criticising the current state of ECOWAS, warning that the regional bloc is losing credibility.
He pointed to the failure of key projects like the West African Gas Pipeline and the underperformance of the West African Power Pool as signs of poor cooperation.
Benin, he revealed, now imports gas from Qatar because of regional inefficiencies.
He also condemned the persistent issues along the Lagos–Abidjan highway, particularly the border delays and harassment that make a simple business trip unnecessarily long and difficult.
According to him, real integration means smoother travel, trade, and cooperation not red tape.
Talon added that poverty remains the greatest threat to democracy and urged African leaders to focus on economic development.
He even referenced former U.S. President Donald Trump’s protectionist policies as a wake-up call for African countries to prioritise their own interests and stop relying on external support.
The summit set the stage for the upcoming ECOWAS Heads of State meeting. Other West African leaders, including Liberia’s President Joseph Boakai and Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio, echoed the need for real commitment to regional integration.
They expressed support for ideas like a single regional currency to make trade smoother and reduce business costs.
UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed and WTO boss Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala also contributed their thoughts via recorded messages, supporting the vision of stronger West African unity.
