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ECOWAS Launches €110 million Projects for Regional Peace and Stability
ECOWAS Launches €110 million Projects for Regional Peace and Stability
By: Michael Mike
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has launched four significant projects worth approximately €110 million, aimed at strengthening regional peace and stability, supporting institutional reforms, and promoting trade within the subregion.
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The projects which are funded by the European Union (€82.5 million), Germany (€26 million), and other partners are support to ECOWAS in Peace, Security and Governance Project (EPSG), this is to aid ECOWAS Commission in the Implementation of the AfCFTA /Trade in Services Programme,.
It is also to support ECOWAS Commission on Organisational Development / Institutional Support to ECOWAS Phase II and Africa Trade Competitiveness and Market Access (ATCMA) Programme.

ECOWAS Commission President, Alieu Touray on Tuesday said the projects seek to strengthen regional peace and stability, as well as support institutional reforms and trade within the community of ECOWAS.
He said: “The projects align with ECOWAS’ strategic orientations, including strengthening peace and security arrangements at regional and national levels, enhancing institutional effectiveness, and promoting sustainable trade.
“This initiative is crucial, considering ECOWAS’ Peace Fund requires approximately $300 million to implement its five-year strategic plan for peace initiatives in West Africa.”
Touray while providing updates on ECOWAS’ engagement with countries that have decided to leave the organisation, stated that the status quo will be maintained in areas such as trade and free movement until a new agreement is reached.
He said: “We have agreed until we come to a new agreement, we will maintain the status quo in all areas,”
He expressed gratitude to partners for their continued support and emphasized the need for accountability and joint decision-making in implementing these projects.
“With a focus on delivering concrete results, these projects hold considerable promise for the people of West Africa.” He added.

Earier in her remarks, the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Ms. Annett Günther, stressed the importance of regional integration and cooperation in West Africa.
Günther stressed the strength of the European partnership with ECOWAS, as she stated that the launch marks more than the start of four new projects.
“It reflects our shared commitment to trade, peace and security and good governance in West Africa.”
She noted that the projects address different aspects of ECOWAS’ Vision 2050, which aims to build a citizen-centered community for peace and prosperity.
Günther highlighted the importance of these initiatives, saying, “Trade and services is a key driver of employment and innovation and a powerful lever for economic transformation. In addition, countries that trade with each other are less likely to experience war or internal conflicts.”
“Germany is committed to partner with ECOWAS and its member states in advancing our shared mission – a stable, democratic and prosperous West Africa.” She said.
Also the European Union Ambassador to ECOWAS and Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, noted that the projects are part of a single strategic vision, where peace, regional integration, and economic opportunities are mutually reinforcing.
Mignot highlighted the EU’s commitment to supporting ECOWAS’ efforts in building, a safer, more integrated, and more prosperous West African region.
He said, “The EU history illustrates that when countries are willing to come together, they are stronger, more resilient, more competitive, and more secure.”
“The projects launched today address both urgent needs and long-term goals, empowering the private sector, modernizing cross-border trade, and supporting regional responses to security challenges.”
Mignot expressed his gratitude to the ECOWAS management, the German and Spanish embassies, and implementing partners for their commitment to these projects.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Head of Mission, Spanish Embassy in Nigeria, Mrs. María Higón Velasco, reaffirmed Spain’s commitment to partnering with ECOWAS, highlighting the country’s long-standing cooperation program with the regional organization.
Velasco noted that the projects are designed to align with ECOWAS’ core priorities, stating, “These projects are designed to strengthen trade competitiveness, improve market access, foster regional integration, promote peace and security, and increase institutional capacity in West Africa, all of these being core priorities of ECOWAS as well.”
She highlighted the significance of the partnership between Spain and ECOWAS, which began over 20 years ago and has grown stronger over time.
“The Spanish government will provide €984,000 in funding for the institutional strengthening of the ECOWAS Commission, which will be co-financed by the European Union and Germany’s KfW Development Bank, amounting to a total of €7.4 million.
Velasco stressed the importance of this project, saying it is “rooted in the principles of aid effectiveness, as set out in the Accra Agenda for Action and the Busan Partnership.”
Velasco also highlighted the involvement of the Spanish institution, the Fiat Foundation, in the implementation of the ECOWAS Peace, Security and Governance project.
“This initiative aims to reinforce ECOWAS’ capacity to address disinformation and political violence in electoral processes, promoting innovative approaches and increasing bridges between regional institutions and civil society.”
“These projects represent more than just financial commitments. They display new opportunities to deepen cooperation and to bolster regional cohesion.
“They will create a stronger ECOWAS that will deliver greater good to respond effectively to the challenges of the present and build a brighter future for West African states, leaving no one behind.” She said.
ECOWAS Launches €110 million Projects for Regional Peace and Stability
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Gov. Uba Sani Says No Citizens Should be Pushed into Poverty Seeking Essential Medical Care
Gov. Uba Sani Says No Citizens Should be Pushed into Poverty Seeking Essential Medical Care
…Pate Calls for National Consensus on Prioritizing Health Care
By: Michael Mike
Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani has advocated for access to affordable medical care for all Nigerians, insisting that no citizens should be pushed into poverty for seeking essential medical care.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Ali Pate also called for national consensus on prioritizing healthcare system in the country.
Speaking at a High-Level Health Media Dialogue with Media Executives in Nigeria with theme: “Escalating Executive and Media Action for Health Accountability and Financing,” on Thursday in Abuja, Kaduna State governor said: “We believe no Nigerian family should be pushed into poverty by seeking essential medical care. Here, equity is not rhetoric for us. It is a principle of governance and justice…”

Sani, while noting that health facilities have been elevated in all parts of Kaduna state, said these landmark facilities significantly reduces the need for medical tourism, lessening the financial and emotional burdens in families.
He noted that emergency care is given priority, said: “We have launched the Kaduna State Emergency Medical Services ambulance system,” which has ensured that countless lives ensuring that urgent intervention reach patient within critical calling hour.
He added that: “Our consensus, as of today in Kaduna, the government has made it free for every emergency case in the first 24 or 48 hours without paying a penny, every patient will be treated free the first 48 hours in Kaduna,”
On his part, Pate said the issue of health affordability is universal and Nigerians need to know that the federal government is working on this.
He said: “There is real pain of affordability. Half of the world’s population doesn’t have access to basic healthcare services, not only in Nigeria, but we tend to self flagellate and not build a consensus to fix it, because it takes national consensus. It’s not a technical issue.
“Fixing health is not just a technical issue because we have had technical expertise for a very long time. It’s not also purely technocratic in terms of just having the right actors that know how to manage doing fundamentally, it’s a political choice that is reflective of political consensus within a country. It is when a country does not build a consensus on the prioritization of health or of education that it doesn’t allocate the resources or use the resources in that right way. And that goes beyond government.”
He noted that with the new tax reform has offered an opportunity for health to be adequately funded in the country.
Also speaking, the Country Director, Gates Foundation Nigeria Uche Amaonwu, said the health of our mothers, children and families, and by extension Nigeria’s human capital depends on what we do next for primary health care.
He assured that the Gates Foundation remains deeply committed to working alongside government and partners to ensure that every Nigerian family can rely on a strong, well financed primary healthcare system.
Earlier in her welcome speech, the Executive Director. International Society of Media in Public Health, Mrs. Moji Makanjuola reiterated the importance of budgeting adequately to health sector
She said “while we acknowledge the remarkable progress made, we must also confront — with courage and compassion — the realities reflected in our health indices.”
She said according to the 2023 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), Nigeria still records one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in the world at 512 deaths per 100,000 live births, and an under-five mortality rate of 102 deaths per 1,000 live births. These figures translate to approximately 82,000 Nigerian women dying annually due to pregnancy-related causes, and one in every ten Nigerian children dying before the age of five.
“These statistics are not meant to indict but to inspire — to spotlight the urgency for deeper reforms, more coordinated investments, and sustained accountability. They also highlight why our collective focus on strengthening PHC systems remains both timely and essential.
“Primary Health Care Centres (PHCs) represent the bedrock of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) — the first and most critical point of contact for millions of Nigerians, especially those in rural and underserved communities. Yet, data from the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) reveals that only 20% of the over 30,000 PHCs nationwide are fully functional.
“When PHCs work — maternal and child mortality declines, immunization coverage improves, productivity rises, and the cycle of poverty linked to ill health is broken. Our task, therefore, is not merely to acknowledge these challenges but to transform them into opportunities for lasting change.”
Gov. Uba Sani Says No Citizens Should be Pushed into Poverty Seeking Essential Medical Care
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Four killed, others displaced as communal clash erupts in Niger community
Four killed, others displaced as communal clash erupts in Niger community
By: Zagazola Makama
Four persons have been confirmed dead following a violent communal clash between Nupe and Fulani residents in Ezhigi village, Edati Local Government Area of Niger State.
Zagazola Makama report that the conflict began on Oct. 21, 2025, when a yet-to-be-identified Nupe man from Ezhigi had an altercation with one Jibril Adamu, a Fulani herder, for reasons yet to be ascertained.
During the dispute, Jibril allegedly attacked the Nupe man with a machete, inflicting deep injuries. The victim was rushed to the General Hospital, Kutigi, where he later died on Oct. 22 while receiving treatment.
The death of the victim reportedly triggered a reprisal attack by Nupe youths, who stormed the Fulani camp in the same village, killed four Fulani residents, and set their settlement ablaze.
Police personnel from Enagi Division swiftly mobilised to the scene and restored normalcy.
The command confirmed that one suspect, Jibril Adamu, had been arrested, while investigation was ongoing to track other perpetrators and prevent further escalation.
Four killed, others displaced as communal clash erupts in Niger community
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China: Africa’s Most Reliable Companionon Africa’s Path to Development
China: Africa’s Most Reliable Companion
on Africa’s Path to Development
By: Our Reporter
Development is an inalienable right of all countries, not a privilege of a few. Recently, Chinese Premier Li Qiang solemnly declared at the High-level Meeting on the Global Development Initiative hosted by China at the United Nations Headquarters that China as a responsible major developing country, will not seek new special and differential treatment in current and future negotiations at the WTO. This is a proactive step that China takes in support of the multilateral trading system, and a significant move to implement the Global Development Initiative and Global Governance Initiative.
The tariff wars initiated by the United States have seriously undermined global trade and economic order, posing serious challenges to the development of all countries, especially in the Global South. As the world’s second-largest economy, China actively defends the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, firmly upholds the multilateral trading system, so that it can better focus on development issues and help bridge the development gap between the Global North and South. As the largest developing country and the continent with the highest concentration of developing countries in the world respectively, China and Africa are both vital members of the Global South. China is willing to work with Africa to effectively implement the Global Development Initiative and to be the most reliable companion on Africa’s path to development.
China practices the principle of inclusive and universal benefits through an open market, expanding vast space for Africa’s development. A universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization is vital for developing countries. Some developed countries are unwilling to fulfill their commitments on development financing and have even withdrawn funding from international development institutions.
At the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation Beijing Summit held last September, President Xi Jinping announced zero tariff treatment on products with 100% tariff lines for all least developed countries having diplomatic relations with China, including 33 African countries. In June this year, China extended the zero-tariff treatment to cover 100% of tariff lines for all 53 African countries that have diplomatic ties with China. From January to July 2025, China’s imports from Africa’s least developed countries reached 39.66 billion USD, with a year-on-year increase of 10.2%.
The facts prove that China’s proactive unilateral market opening measures will strongly drive the industrial development, promote employment growth and accelerate poverty reduction in Africa.
China shares advanced and practical technology to strengthen the core support for Africa’s innovative development. In a context where global technological barriers are increasingly prominent and key resources are concentrated in a few developed countries and multinational tech giants, “Intelligent Manufacturing in China” has enriched global supply, making previously inaccessible technology available.
At the AI Action Summit held in Paris in February, China signed the Statement on Inclusive and Sustainable Artificial Intelligence for People and the Planet together with other 60 countries and international organizations. Represented by Deepseek, Chinese AI models have broken the monopoly of Western tech giants through open-source modes, initiating an “AI democratizatio” process.
The supply of China’s advanced and practical technology promotes bridging the digital and artificial intelligence gaps, further empowering African industries and people, providing transformative power to Africa’s leapfrog development.
China provides green transition solutions to support a long-term future for Africa’s sustainable development. Possessing the world’s richest green resources such as solar and wind power, Africa remains one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change. China actively shares green transition solutions with Africa. The Blue Line built by a Chinese company provides green and convenient public transportation to Lagos residents. Major projects built by Chinese enterprises, such as Morocco’s Noor III and II Concentrated Solar Power Project and South Africa’s De Aar Wind Power Project, have illuminated millions of homes across Africa and lit the path to sustainable development. China’s new energy vehicles are rapidly entering the African market, offering new options to improve urban air quality.
China’s green development solutions have helped Africa avoid the old path of “polluting first, cleanup later” at the early stage of its industrialization, paving the way toward a more resilient and sustainable future.
China supplies quality and affordable products to firmly support African livelihoods. From home appliances and clothing that improve the quality of life, to smartphones and base station equipment ensuring communication, as well as machinery and transport equipment supporting infrastructure development, “Made in China” is becoming deeply and comprehensively integrated into the daily lives of the African people.
These Chinese products meet Africans’ pursuit of better life while effectively reducing the cost of improving livelihoods and industrial development, providing a foundation for meeting basic needs and improving life quality, thus injecting sustained momentum into Africa’s economic and social development.
In his speech on the African Union Day, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, called for building an Africa where every African can thrive in dignity and hope. China firmly believes that global prosperity and stability cannot be achieved when the rich get richer and the poor poorer. Regardless of international uncertainties, China will uphold the UN-centered international system, stick to multilateralism and free trade, strive to build an open world economy, and provide robust support for Africa’s development as a true friend walking hand in hand on Africa’s path to development .
China: Africa’s Most Reliable Companion
on Africa’s Path to Development
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