Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Pierre Antoine
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has stepped up efforts to operationalise the ECOWAS Business Council (EBC), a major initiative aimed at strengthening private sector participation, expanding regional trade, and attracting investment across West Africa.
The renewed push was highlighted during a high-level working visit by senior ECOWAS officials to Nigerian industrialist and President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, who serves as the pioneer Chairman of the ECOWAS Business Council. The meeting took place at the Dangote Group headquarters in Lagos and focused on accelerating the council's full take-off.
The ECOWAS delegation was led by Dr. Kalilou Sylla, Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, alongside Dr. Habib Yaya Bappah, Commissioner for Internal Services. Also present were members of the Technical Working Group responsible for establishing the council's operational framework.
According to ECOWAS, the Business Council is designed to serve as a strategic platform connecting governments and the private sector, ensuring that businesses play a greater role in shaping regional economic policies and implementing the bloc's integration agenda. The initiative is expected to facilitate investment, improve trade flows, promote industrialisation, and support job creation across member states.
Officials noted that despite decades of integration efforts, trade among West African countries remains below its potential due to infrastructure deficits, border bottlenecks, regulatory inconsistencies, and limited private sector involvement in policymaking. The Business Council is expected to help address these challenges by creating a structured dialogue between business leaders and policymakers.
The council's operationalisation also aligns with broader ECOWAS efforts to deepen regional economic integration and take advantage of opportunities created by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which seeks to establish a continent-wide market for goods and services.
Dangote was appointed pioneer chairman of the ECOWAS Business Council in December 2025 by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Alieu Touray. ECOWAS said the appointment reflected Dangote's extensive business experience across West Africa and his longstanding role in promoting industrial development and regional investment.
Speaking on the importance of the council at the time of its launch, ECOWAS officials said the body would help mobilise regional capital, encourage cross-border investments, and reduce dependence on external sources of financing. The council is also expected to strengthen partnerships between governments, investors, and regional institutions.
Analysts view the latest engagement in Lagos as a significant step toward making the Business Council fully operational and positioning the private sector as a central driver of economic growth, competitiveness, and sustainable development across the 15-member West African bloc.
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