The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) officially launched its 50th anniversary celebrations at a grand ceremony held at the Accra International Conference Centre on Tuesday, April 22.
The launch marks the beginning of a year-long series of commemorative activities across member states, as endorsed by the ECOWAS Conference of Heads of State and Government.
The programme of activities was approved by the ECOWAS Administrative and Financial Committee during a virtual meeting held in February 2025.
Highlights of the launch include the unveiling of the ECOWAS Golden Jubilee logo and theme, alongside artistic performances celebrating the bloc’s history and achievements.
Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama unveiled the official logo for the golden jubilee during the event, which was attended by numerous West African leaders and high-ranking dignitaries from across the regional bloc.
ECOWAS, established on May 28, 1975, through the Treaty of Lagos, has spent five decades working toward its vision of regional cooperation and integration. The organization was founded with the primary goal of promoting economic integration across the region by establishing a large trading bloc through an economic and trading union.
Over the years, ECOWAS has expanded its mandate beyond economic integration to include political cooperation, conflict prevention, and peacekeeping efforts. The regional body has played crucial roles in resolving conflicts in member states such as Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, and Côte d’Ivoire.
While ECOWAS was originally established with 15 member states, its current active membership includes Benin, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso announced their withdrawal from the bloc in January 2024. Together, the ECOWAS nations represent a market of over 400 million people.
At the launch event, leaders reflected on key achievements, including the implementation of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme, the introduction of the ECOWAS passport, and progress toward monetary union through initiatives like the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA).
The anniversary celebrations will continue throughout the year with various events planned across member states, including regional cultural festivals, academic conferences on West African integration, trade exhibitions highlighting intra-regional commerce, and youth forums focused on the future of ECOWAS.
The year-long commemoration will focus on raising awareness about ECOWAS initiatives, fostering a sense of regional identity among West African citizens, and accelerating progress toward the community’s long-term objectives of full economic integration and collective development.
