As the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) marks its 50th anniversary, an Institute for Policy and Leadership Advancement is set to host a high-level expert meeting to reflect on the region’s integration journey and explore pathways for a renewed future.
The two-day event, themed “Reimagining West Africa Regional Cooperation and Integration: Alternative Futures,” will take place on October 31 and November 1, 2025, at the Main Auditorium of the ECOWAS Commission in Abuja, Nigeria.
Organised in collaboration with the African Leadership Centre (ALC), the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA), and WATHI (The West Africa Citizen Think Tank), the forum will bring together policymakers, scholars, and civil society leaders from across the region.
According to the organisers, the dialogue aims to deepen understanding of Africa’s integration efforts, assess ECOWAS’s achievements and challenges, and propose innovative frameworks for stronger cooperation among West African states.
The gathering will also feature the second edition of The African Public Square (APS), a flagship conversation platform designed to stimulate inclusive debate on African governance, development, and regional identity.
The first edition of APS was held in London in 2023, where participants examined Africa’s evolving role and influence in global affairs.
Its success inspired this year’s follow-up session, which will spotlight regional resilience, peace, and economic transformation within West Africa.
As ECOWAS enters its sixth decade, organisers say the event will serve as both a moment of reflection and a call to action—urging stakeholders to reimagine integration beyond borders and build a region anchored on shared prosperity, democracy, and people-centered development.