ECOWAS  needs urgent reforms to stop military rule in West Africa

Former Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has called for urgent and far-reaching reforms within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), insisting that the regional bloc, in its current form, cannot effectively tackle poverty, inequality, governance deficits, and insecurity across West Africa.

Fayemi made the call in Abuja at the second edition of the African Political Square and the experts’ meeting on Alternative Futures for ECOWAS at 50, jointly organised by the African Leadership Centre (ALC), in collaboration with Codesria and Wathi.

According to the former governor, ECOWAS must move beyond being an “elite-driven institution” to one that truly represents and serves the people of the region.

> “The challenges of poverty, inequality, governance deficits, and insecurity cannot be effectively addressed by ECOWAS in its current form,” Fayemi said. “There is an urgent need for a new, citizen-centred approach that responds to the real concerns of ordinary West Africans, rather than focusing solely on the priorities of political leaders.”

Fayemi, who co-founded the Amanda Institute for Policy and Leadership Advancement, emphasised the need to reassess the region’s security framework, noting that traditional military strategies have proven inadequate against the complex threats posed by insurgents and terrorists.

> “Many of these groups are deeply embedded within communities and even, in some cases, within the military itself,” he said. “What is needed is a more sophisticated intelligence-based approach, combined with efforts to address the underlying social and economic drivers of insecurity.”

He stressed that while frustration with poor governance is understandable, military rule is not a viable alternative.

> “History has shown that military regimes do not provide sustainable solutions. In fact, in the three countries that have now exited ECOWAS, terrorism and insecurity have worsened since the military took over,” he added.

Fayemi also urged ECOWAS to maintain engagement with the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) — comprising Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger — to prevent further regional fragmentation.

> “ECOWAS must find pragmatic ways to bring these states back into a cooperative framework,” he advised. “The goal should be to preserve regional cooperation, stability, and development, rather than encouraging further divisions.”

He concluded that the bloc’s 50th anniversary should serve as a moment of reckoning and renewal:

> “ECOWAS must evolve to reflect the realities on the ground and rebuild trust with its citizens. The future of West Africa depends on the choices we make today.”

In his remarks, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, represented by the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador Abdufatah Musah, acknowledged that the bloc faces a “crisis of democracy and security.”

> “Manipulation of constitutions and exclusionary politics have become fashionable. Democracy is in crisis, and insecurity has worsened,” Touray warned.

He noted that ECOWAS, established in 1975, must return to its founding vision of regional unity amid evolving global dynamics.

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> “The world is now multipolar. West Africa must also choose — between people-centred democracy and authoritarian regression,” he said, adding that ECOWAS has begun a series of internal reviews to redefine its strategic direction for the next 15 years.

Also speaking, Vice President (International Engagement) at King’s College London and Founding Director of the African Leadership Centre, Professor Funmi Olonisakin, said the golden jubilee should provoke a deep rethink of ECOWAS’s structure and purpose.

> “Even without the current crises, there is a strong case for reinventing the West African integration project,” she said. “The transition from an ECOWAS of rulers to a community of the people has not happened as hoped.”