ECOWAS BUSINESS COUNCIL UNVEILS INITIATIVE TO MOBILIZE PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENT FOR REGIONAL INDUSTRIALIZATION

ECOWAS BUSINESS COUNCIL UNVEILS INITIATIVE TO MOBILIZE PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENT FOR REGIONAL INDUSTRIALIZATION

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS )Business Council (EBC) is set to prioritise regional energy sufficiency as a catalyst for industrial growth across West Africa under a newly unveiled private-sector-led initiative tagged “Power W.A. (Power West Africa) for Industrialisation”.

The strategic framework was finalized during a bilateral meeting between the ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Mr. Dehpue Yenpea Zuo, and Prof. Hassan Mahmud, Chief Economist of the Dangote Group and focal person for the ECOWAS Business Council Chairman, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, held at the Dangote Industries headquarters in Ikoyi, Lagos, on October 2nd 2026.

Accompanying Commissioner Zuo were the Acting Director of Private Sector and Industry, Mr. Oluonye Peter O. Chukwudi, and the Executive Assistant to the Commissioner, Mr. Benedict D. Robert. Deliberations focused on aligning the new ECOWAS management priorities with the operationalisation of the ECOWAS Business Council, drawing from decisions of the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers held in Freetown, Sierra Leone, in July 2026.