The Digest:
The Economic Community of West African States has appointed Nigerian industrialist Alhaji Aliko Dangote as the inaugural Chairman of the newly formed ECOWAS Business Council (EBC). The council is designed to empower the private sector and drive economic integration across West Africa.
Key Points:
- The appointment was confirmed by ECOWAS President Dr. Omar Touray, who cited Dangote’s vast business experience across the continent as pivotal to the role.
- The EBC is envisioned as an independent platform to boost intra-regional trade, attract investment, and bridge the gap between businesses and policymakers.
- Touray emphasized the growing appetite for intra-regional investment, highlighting forums in Senegal, Nigeria, and Côte d'Ivoire held this year.
- He stressed the need to “mobilise capital within our region” rather than rely solely on “precarious foreign investments.”
- The council is expected to facilitate dialogue and partnerships among private sector leaders, government agencies, and ECOWAS institutions.
- Dangote’s selection signals a strategic shift toward leveraging homegrown industrial capital to advance regional development.
- The move aligns with broader efforts to strengthen West Africa’s economic resilience and self-sufficiency amid global uncertainties.
Sources: Daily Post
