ECOWAS@50 celebration will bolster community growth – says Tuggar

By Fortune Abang

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, says the commemoration of ECOWAS@50 anniversary would further bolster the member countries commitment towards advancing the  community’s growth.

Tuggar disclosed this on Monday in Abuja while briefing diplomatic correspondents on the sidelines of Nigeria’s readiness to host ECOWAS Member States in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the community.

The minister spoke on wide subjects of topical interest focused on the rational for the anniversary celebration in Lagos on May 28, 2025, as well as achievements of ECOWAS and the outlined programmes.

According to him, the anniversary celebration would help to revalidate the commitment by the ECOWAS Member States to the community after 50 years.

Tuggar said, “To showcase the achievements of ECOWAS, because unfortunately, we have been distracted in recent times by the exit of three member countries, more attention is paid  to some of the remarkable achievements of ECOWAS.

“We are talking about the ECOWAS trade liberalisation scheme that has proven to be very successful, allowed for increase in the volume of trade among the states and intra-regional trade.

“We are talking about the Abidjan-Lagos corridor. We are talking about the Abidjan-Dakar corridor. These are trade and transport corridors.

“We are talking about digitised-tracking of goods and containers within the region, about common external tariff and even, continental organisations that look towards ECOWAS as exemplary of successful funding.”

He mentioned other achievements by the community to include regulation of activities of government and people in different sectors.

He, however, said low volume of trade among countries within Africa posed challenges to the economy of the African continent.

He stated that President Bola Tinubu, other heads of state and government of the ECOWAS would attend the celebration slated to hold at the National Institute of International Affairs, where organisation was established in 1975. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)