Three West African presidents converge on Abuja to hold regional summit with Tinubu

THREE presidents of neighbouring West African nations paid a joint visit to President Bola Tinubu in Abuja today in what looks like a regional search for solutions to the security problems bedevilling the sub-region.

Just nine days after President Tinubu was elected as the chairman of the sub-regional group the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), the presidents of Benin Republic, Niger and Guinea-Bissau arrived in Abuja.  President Patrice Talon of Benin, President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger and President Umaro Embaló of Guinea-Bissau were received by President Tinubu at the forecourt of the presidential villa, Abuja.⁣

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Soon afterward, he led the West African leaders into a private session at his office. While the specific agenda of the meeting is not yet public, the leaders are expected to discuss security and economic development in the sub-region.⁣

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President Tinubu is likely to reiterate his stance on defending democracy in the sub-region given the spate of coups in recent years. Guinea-Bissau survived an attempted coup in February 2022. However, the civilian governments of Guinea, Mali and Burkina Faso had been toppled between 2019 and 2022.