Raphael Oni
Abuja, Nigeria – The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced its readiness to host the West Africa Economic Summit (WAES) 2025, a high-level regional gathering aimed at shaping the economic future of West Africa. The summit, themed “West Africa Economic Summit: Unlocking Trade and Investment Opportunities in the Region,” will take place from June 20 to 21, 2025, at the Abuja International Conference Centre (AICC).
According to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, the summit is designed to serve as a strategic platform for regional cooperation and economic integration. “As a government, we recognize that sustainable development, peace, and prosperity in West Africa are best achieved through enhanced regional cooperation and economic integration,” he stated.
The summit will feature key components, including a Presidential Roundtable and CEO Forum, the WAES Deal Room for business-to-government and business-to-business transactions, and the West Africa Business Expo, which will showcase investment-ready small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and regional development projects.
The summit aims to achieve several strategic objectives, including establishing a harmonized trade policy framework, mobilizing resources for critical infrastructure, promoting inclusive economic growth, and enhancing West Africa’s economic resilience through innovation and strategic global partnerships.
The Minister has extended an invitation to regional leaders, continental institutions, development partners, private investors, and civil society actors to converge in Abuja for what promises to be a landmark moment in West Africa’s economic evolution.
The summit aligns with continental objectives under Agenda 2063 and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and is expected to address key issues such as cross-border trade and logistics, regional macroeconomic stability, and institutional cooperation.
With WAES 2025, Nigeria reaffirms its commitment to the ECOWAS vision of a borderless, peaceful, and economically integrated West Africa.
