JUST IN: President Tinubu Heads to Lagos for ECOWAS 50th Anniversary Celebration, to Commission Major Projects

Abuja, Nigeria – May 26, 2025

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja on Tuesday for Lagos as part of activities to mark the 50th anniversary of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and to commission several landmark projects under his administration.

The golden jubilee celebration of ECOWAS, which was officially flagged off last month in Accra, Ghana, continues in Nigeria with key commemorative events scheduled to take place in Lagos. The celebration will kick off with a symbolic reenactment of the 1975 declaration at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island.

President Tinubu, who currently serves as the Chairman of ECOWAS, will address regional leaders and stakeholders at a special event hosted at Eko Hotels and Suites. His speech will highlight the achievements, challenges, and future direction of the economic bloc over the past five decades.

Distinguished dignitaries expected to grace the event include Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, former Minister of External Affairs and Chairman of the NIIA, who will review the regional body’s 50-year history. Panel discussions featuring renowned analysts and policymakers will follow the keynote addresses.

General Yakubu Gowon (Rtd), the only surviving Head of State who signed the original ECOWAS declaration in 1975, will also be in attendance. He is expected to participate in all the ceremonies and deliver a goodwill message at the event.

Dr. Omar Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, will deliver the welcome address.

While in Lagos, President Tinubu will commission several strategic infrastructure projects on Saturday, May 31. These include:

• Section I of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway
• Lekki Deep Sea Port Tax Credit Concrete Road
• Flag-off of Section II of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway
• 7th Axial Road Project

Additionally, the President will virtually commission the Kano-Kanwar-Danja-Hadejiya Section II Road and Yakasai-Zalli Road. He will also flag off key northern projects, including the Kano Northern By-pass, Zaria-Hunkuyi-Dabai Section I, Dabai-Kafur-Malumfashi, and Malumfashi-Dayi-Yashe-Gidan Mutum Daya Section III.

President Tinubu is expected to observe Eid-el-Kabir prayers at the State House Mosque, Dodan Barracks, before returning to Abuja.

The events in Lagos mark a significant moment for regional integration and national development, underlining President Tinubu’s dual role in regional diplomacy and domestic governance.

Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information & Strategy)
May 26, 2025