The withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, created a major regional crisis and weakened key integration protocols, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, has said.
Dare spoke on Thursday at a policy colloquium organised by the Ministry of Defence in Abuja.
He said the three countries’ exit in 2025 weakened ECOWAS frameworks supporting regional integration and the free movement of goods and services.
“The rupture that came in 2025 when the countries pulled out of ECOWAS created a major regional crisis. That pullout from ECOWAS simply blunted the ECOWAS protocol that promoted integration, free movement of goods and services.
“It eventually led to the creation of AES, another counter-regional body to ECOWAS. But it also challenged the other instruments and protocols that we have for regional cooperation,” he said.
The Alliance of Sahel States, also known as the Confederation of Sahel States, is a political and economic union comprising Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
The three military-led governments formally exited ECOWAS in January 2025, months after announcing their intention to withdraw in 2024.
They had cited what they described as ECOWAS’ failure to support them in the fight against jihadist insurgencies and the bloc’s perceived alignment with former colonial power France.
Also speaking at the colloquium, the Minister of Defence, Gen Christopher Musa (retd.), said the Tinubu administration was prioritising national security to protect Nigeria’s sovereignty, preserve democratic institutions and support national development.
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