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ECOWAS Moves to Strengthen Regional Trade as Dangote, Commission Push Business Council Operationalisation

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ECOWAS Moves to Strengthen Regional Trade as Dangote, Commission Push Business Council Operationalisation

By: Michael Mike

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has intensified efforts to deepen regional economic integration and boost private sector participation with renewed moves to operationalise the ECOWAS Business Council (EBC), a platform expected to drive investment, trade and industrial development across the sub-region.

The commitment was reaffirmed during a high-level working visit by senior officials of the ECOWAS Commission to the Chairman of the ECOWAS Business Council, Aliko Dangote, at the Dangote Group headquarters in Lagos.

The delegation was led by the ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Dr. Kalilou Sylla, alongside the Commissioner for Internal Services, Dr. Habib Yaya Bappah. They were accompanied by Gerard Amoi Amangoua, Technical President of the Technical Working Group (TWG) for the ECOWAS Business Council, and other members of the working group.

The meeting focused on accelerating the operationalisation of the ECOWAS Business Council, a strategic private-sector-led platform established to facilitate greater collaboration between governments and businesses in the implementation of the ECOWAS regional market agenda.

The Commission said the initiative represents a major milestone in efforts to position the private sector at the centre of regional economic transformation, job creation, industrialisation and sustainable development.

Speaking during the engagement, the officials emphasised the critical role of the private sector in unlocking the enormous economic potential of the West African region, particularly at a time when member states are seeking to enhance competitiveness, increase intra-regional trade and attract greater investment flows.

The ECOWAS Business Council is expected to serve as a bridge between policymakers and the business community, providing practical solutions to long-standing barriers to trade, investment and industrial growth within the 15-member regional bloc.

The council’s operationalisation comes amid growing concerns that trade among West African countries remains significantly below potential despite decades of regional integration efforts. Experts have attributed the challenge to poor infrastructure, multiple border checkpoints, non-tariff barriers, policy inconsistencies and inadequate private sector involvement in regional decision-making processes.

Analysts believe a fully functional ECOWAS Business Council could help address many of these obstacles by providing a structured platform for dialogue between governments and businesses while promoting reforms aimed at improving the ease of doing business across member states.

The choice of Africa’s foremost industrialist, Aliko Dangote, to chair the council is widely seen as a strategic move by ECOWAS to leverage the experience, influence and investment footprint of one of the continent’s most successful entrepreneurs.

Dangote’s business interests span several African countries and sectors, including cement, fertiliser, petrochemicals, sugar and logistics, making him one of the most prominent advocates of regional trade and industrialisation.

The latest engagement also reflects ECOWAS’ determination to align its economic integration agenda with the opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which seeks to create the world’s largest free trade area by connecting more than 1.4 billion people across Africa.

For decades, ECOWAS has pursued the vision of a borderless regional market characterised by the free movement of goods, services, capital and people. However, progress has often been slowed by economic disparities among member states, infrastructure deficits and policy implementation gaps.

Officials believe that stronger private sector participation through the ECOWAS Business Council will inject new momentum into the integration process, helping transform the region from a collection of fragmented national markets into a more competitive and economically resilient economic community.

The meeting in Lagos therefore marks not only a significant step towards the full operationalisation of the council but also a broader effort by ECOWAS to reposition the private sector as a key driver of regional prosperity, economic growth and sustainable development in West Africa.

ECOWAS Moves to Strengthen Regional Trade as Dangote, Commission Push Business Council Operationalisation

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Two Notorious Terrorist Leaders Haruna Balatoni and Black Neutralised in Plateau Military Offensive Another Fatally Wounded as Six AK-47 Rifles Returned

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Two Notorious Terrorist Leaders Haruna Balatoni and Black Neutralised in Plateau Military Offensive Another Fatally Wounded as Six AK-47 Rifles Returned

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of the Nigerian Army have recorded major breakthroughs in ongoing offensive operations against armed criminal networks in Plateau State, neutralising two notorious terrorist leaders, critically wounding another and recovering six AK-47 rifles previously seized from security forces.

The latest developments followed sustained military offensives at Dajin Madam in Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State on November 8, 2026.

Security sources disclosed that HUMINT reports received at about 8:53 a.m. on November 9 indicated that the intensity of the military operation had resulted in the neutralisation of two suspected terrorist leaders identified as Haruna Balatoni and Black.

Another notorious figure, identified as Dogo Mai Kunkuru, was reportedly shot in the chest and left in a critical condition, with sources indicating that his chances of survival were slim.

In a significant development on November 10, the sustained military pressure reportedly compelled the terrorist network, through an intermediary identified as Ali-Kwara, to return six AK-47 rifles previously seized from security forces.

The recovered weapons are currently in military custody.
In a related operation, troops of 173 Battalion deployed at Mansur rescued a kidnapped mother and her daughter and recovered 39 cattle.

The developments represent a significant disruption of the criminal network’s leadership, weapons stockpile and capacity to sustain operations in the Wase axis.
The recovery of the six rifles is particularly important as it restores weapons previously lost to the criminal network and provides an opportunity for further intelligence exploitation.

The latest successes underscore the impact of sustained offensive pressure, intelligence-driven operations and military presence in dismantling armed groups operating across Plateau State.

The reported deaths of the terrorist leaders and the condition of Dogo Mai Kunkuru are based on preliminary HUMINT assessments and remain subject to independent military confirmation

Two Notorious Terrorist Leaders Haruna Balatoni and Black Neutralised in Plateau Military Offensive Another Fatally Wounded as Six AK-47 Rifles Returned

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Troops Dislodge Terrorists from Hideouts in Taraba, Recover Five Motorcycles

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Troops Dislodge Terrorists from Hideouts in Taraba, Recover Five Motorcycles

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of the Nigerian Army’s 114 Battalion (Reinforcement) have dislodged suspected terrorists from their hideouts during a fighting patrol in Karim Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State.

The operation, conducted under Operation WHIRL STROKE (OPWS), commenced at about 7:30 a.m. on November 8, 2026, with troops advancing towards Komodoro village, where they made contact with suspected terrorists.

Security sources said the criminals fled upon sighting the advancing troops, prompting the patrol team to extend its operation to Mashigin Kirya village within the same local government area.

At Mashigin Kirya, the troops encountered suspected terrorists believed to have been hibernating in the general area and engaged them, forcing the armed elements to retreat.
The troops subsequently recovered five motorcycles suspected to have been used by the criminal group for mobility and logistics.

To further disrupt the fleeing terrorists, the troops conducted a fire mission using an 81mm mortar along their withdrawal route.
The operation was ongoing as troops sustained pressure on suspected criminal hideouts and movement corridors in the area.

The development point to the military’s determination to deny armed groups safe havens and restrict their freedom of movement across Taraba State.

Troops Dislodge Terrorists from Hideouts in Taraba, Recover Five Motorcycles

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Two Fulani Herdsmen, 16 Cows Killed in Attack on Enugu Community as Joint Troops Launch Investigation

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Two Fulani Herdsmen, 16 Cows Killed in Attack on Enugu Community as Joint Troops Launch Investigation

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of the Nigerian Army, in collaboration with the Nigeria Police and Department of State Services (DSS), have launched an investigation into an attack on Fulani herdsmen in Obelagu Umuamba community, Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State, which left two herders and 16 cattle dead.

The incident came to light at about 11:00 a.m. on November 10, 2026, when a joint patrol team comprising troops of the 82 Division Garrison and 103 Battalion (Reinforcement), alongside police and DSS operatives, visited the community to assess the cause and extent of damage from the recent attack by suspected hoodlums.

On arrival, the security team discovered that two Fulani herdsmen and 16 cows had been killed, while two other persons sustained injuries.

Following the discovery, the troops convened a joint peace and security meeting involving community leaders, representatives of the Fulani herders, neighbourhood watch groups and other key stakeholders.

During the meeting, security officials cautioned all parties against taking the law into their hands, warning that reprisals could escalate tensions and further threaten peaceful coexistence.

The troops subsequently recovered the corpses and handed them over to the police for further investigation.

Meanwhile, security agencies have commenced efforts to identify and apprehend those responsible for the attack, including suspected local collaborators.

The intervention is aimed at preventing retaliatory violence, restoring confidence among residents and ensuring that those responsible are brought to justice.

Authorities have urged both farming and herding communities to remain calm, cooperate with security agencies and pursue grievances through lawful channels.

Two Fulani Herdsmen, 16 Cows Killed in Attack on Enugu Community as Joint Troops Launch Investigation

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