Nigeria is set to host the West Africa Economic Summit 2025.Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, who disclosed this in a statement will hold from June 20 to 21, 2025, at the Abuja International Conference Centre (AICC).
Read the full text of the Minister’s announcement below:
Statement by Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs On Nigeria’s Hosting of the West Africa Economic Summit (WAES) 2025
It is with a deep sense of honour and responsibility that I announce Nigeria’s readiness to host the West Africa Economic Summit (WAES) 2025, under the distinguished leadership of His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. The Summit will take place from June 20 to 21, 2025, at the Abuja International Conference Centre (AICC).
This important regional gathering, themed “West Africa Economic Summit: Unlocking Trade and Investment Opportunities in the Region,” is designed to serve as a strategic platform for shaping the economic future of our sub-region. WAES 2025 will convene Heads of State, Ministers, private sector leaders, development partners, and youth innovators from across West Africa and beyond.
As a government, we recognise that sustainable development, peace, and prosperity in West Africa are best achieved through enhanced regional cooperation and economic integration. WAES 2025 reflects this conviction.
Strategic Objectives
WAES 2025 is a solutions-oriented initiative that seeks to:
• Establish a harmonised trade policy framework to eliminate barriers to intra-African commerce and investment;
• Mobilise resources for critical infrastructure, energy, and logistics to improve the free movement of goods and people;
• Promote inclusive economic growth, with particular attention to empowering women, youth, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs);
• Enhance West Africa’s economic resilience through innovation, institutional reforms, and strategic global partnerships.
Summit Highlights
The summit will feature the following key components:
• Presidential Roundtable and CEO Forum
A high-level dialogue between Heads of State and business leaders, culminating in a Joint Communiqué that articulates shared regional priorities and a concrete plan of action.
• The WAES Deal Room
A platform for Business-to-Government (B2G) and Business-to-Business (B2B) transactions aimed at securing landmark investment deals across strategic sectors including infrastructure, agribusiness, renewable energy, and digital finance.
• West Africa Business Expo
An exhibition of over 100 investment-ready SMEs and regional development projects, fostering cross-border business linkages and reinforcing the role of the private sector in advancing the AfCFTA.
• Youth and Cultural Empowerment Series
Featuring events such as the West Africa Art Exhibition, Innovation Pitch, and Youth Leadership Panels, these will showcase the region’s rich creative energy and the ingenuity of our youth.
Nigeria’s Enduring Commitment
WAES 2025 is a reaffirmation of Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to the ECOWAS vision of a borderless, peaceful, and economically integrated West Africa. It aligns seamlessly with continental objectives under Agenda 2063 and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The summit will address:
• The facilitation of cross-border trade and logistics;
• The advancement of regional macroeconomic stability and value chains;
• The reinforcement of institutional cooperation, peace, and governance.
As Minister of Foreign Affairs, I extend a warm invitation to regional leaders, continental institutions, development partners, private investors, and civil society actors to converge in Abuja for what will be a landmark moment in West Africa’s economic evolution.
Together, through WAES 2025, we take deliberate steps toward a prosperous, united, and globally competitive West Africa.
Amb. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar
Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs
Federal Republic of Nigeria