Leadnaija
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is scheduled to participate in the second day of the West Africa Economic Summit (WAES) 2025, currently ongoing at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja.
The summit, which convened regional leaders, senior government officials, global investors, and policy experts, aims to foster a collaborative framework for sustainable economic growth across West Africa.
Delivering the keynote address on the opening day, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to regional economic integration under President Tinubu’s leadership.
Dr. Oduwole later participated in a high-level panel discussion on advancing intra-African trade and dismantling structural bottlenecks hindering the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
In a session chaired by Yvonne Ike, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa at Bank of America, stakeholders discussed leveraging AfCFTA to drive regional trade. Key issues identified included tariff barriers, customs inefficiencies, and inadequate infrastructure. The panel recommended targeted reforms to facilitate smoother trade across borders.
A subsequent session focused on enhancing West Africa’s global competitiveness. Experts emphasized the urgency of reforming port infrastructure, strengthening industrial capacity, and optimizing supply chains. Participants urged governments in the region to adopt proactive industrial policies and foster an enabling business environment.
The third panel addressed the resilience of the region’s energy and power systems, with a focus on renewable energy, electric mobility, and conventional energy sources. Experts called for strategic investments in energy diversification, intelligent infrastructure, and innovative access solutions to ensure energy sustainability.
A key feature of the summit was the “Deal Room”, a dedicated investment forum designed to move discussions from policy to practice. It served as a platform for institutional investors, project developers, and public officials to explore actionable investment opportunities through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements.
President Tinubu is expected to lead Nigeria’s delegation today as deliberations continue, with a focus on securing regional commitments and actionable frameworks for economic transformation.
