ECOWAS Records 4.6% Growth in 2025, Projects Stronger Economic Outlook for 2026 — Omar Touray
West Africa recorded a 4.6 per cent economic growth in 2025 despite mounting global economic pressures, with projections pointing to 5 per cent growth in 2026, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, has said.
Mr Touray made the disclosure on Thursday in Abuja during an engagement with development partners, where he presented key highlights from the commission’s 2025 Annual Report, PulseNets learned.
He explained that the regional bloc outperformed Africa’s continental average in 2025, driven by wide-ranging structural reforms, increased investment in the mining and energy sectors, stronger trade facilitation across borders, and a notable rebound in services, transport, and tourism.
“Our growth momentum reflects deliberate structural reforms, expanding investment in mining and energy, smoother regional trade processes, and a strong recovery in services, transport, and tourism,” Mr Touray told PulseNets.
PulseNets obtained that inflationary pressures, while still high in some ECOWAS member states, had eased in others due to coordinated monetary interventions and improved food supply conditions across the sub-region.
“Fiscal deficits have narrowed considerably as governments improve revenue mobilisation and streamline public spending,” he said. “We have also seen a modest decline in our debt-to-GDP ratio, supported by strong nominal growth and better macroeconomic management.”
According to Mr Touray, the external position of the sub-region remained stable, with a strengthened current account surplus buoyed by strong export earnings from commodities such as oil, gold, and bauxite, PulseNets reported.
Speaking on the global outlook, the ECOWAS Commission president noted that the world economy was undergoing major structural shifts shaped by geopolitical tensions, supply chain realignments, and the accelerating digital and green transitions.
“We are operating in a global environment defined by deep uncertainty. From geopolitical frictions to the reorganisation of supply chains and rapid digital and green transitions, the global economic order is being reshaped,” he said.
He further explained that although global growth slowed in 2025 and uncertainty remained elevated, inflation had moderated slightly, while Africa continued to show resilience.
“Even amid these global headwinds, Africa is proving resilient. Growth is gradually recovering, inflation is easing, and political stability has improved in several countries,” Mr Touray stated.
PulseNets learnt that peace and security remained central to ECOWAS’ mandate in 2025, with the bloc intensifying preventive diplomacy, mediation efforts, and democratic governance support across the region.
Mr Touray said ECOWAS was also managing the implications of the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, while maintaining open channels for constructive dialogue with the Sahel states.
On security coordination, he disclosed that the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff successfully completed the rotation of the Standby Force and strengthened preparedness for both the Standby Force and the 1,650-member Counterterrorism Brigade.
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PulseNets reported that progress was also recorded in the fight against organised crime and terrorism, with ECOWAS formally assuming control of the West Africa Police Information System after 12 years of management by Interpol. However, reduced collaboration with the Alliance of Sahel States following its exit had complicated regional counterterrorism operations.
“Although the number of attacks declined slightly, fatalities rose due to the increased deployment of improvised explosive devices,” Mr Touray told PulseNets.
