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Feyemi: Challenges of Poverty, Inequality, Governance Deficits and Insecurity Can Only Be Effectively Addressed in West Africa with Reform of ECOWAS
Feyemi: Challenges of Poverty, Inequality, Governance Deficits and Insecurity Can Only Be Effectively Addressed in West Africa with Reform of ECOWAS
By: Michael Mike
Former Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi has called for urgent reform of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), insisting that the challenges of poverty, inequality, governance deficits, and insecurity in the West African region cannot be effectively addressed by the regional bloc in its current form.
Speaking in Abuja at the second edition of the African Political Square and the Experts meeting on Alternative Futures for ECOWAS at 50 – jointly organized with the African Leadership Centre (ALC), in collaboration with Codesria and Wathi, Fayemi said: “Clearly, the current state of the regional body underscores the need for deep reflection on how ECOWAS can move beyond being an elite-driven institution to one that truly represents and serves its people.
“The challenges of poverty, inequality, governance deficits, and insecurity cannot be effectively addressed by ECOWAS in its current form.
“There is an urgent need for a new, citizen-centered approach that responds to the real concerns of ordinary West Africans, rather than focusing solely on the priorities of political leaders.”
Fayemi, who is the co-founder of Amanda Institute for Policy and Leadership Advancement, said: “It is also my hope that a key part of our discussion will focus on security and the role of the military in addressing instability in the region. It is now evident that traditional military strategies alone are inadequate in tackling the complex threats posed by insurgent and terrorist groups.”
He decried that: “Many of these groups are deeply embedded within communities and even, in some cases, within the military itself. What is needed is a more sophisticated intelligence-based approach, combined with efforts to address the underlying social and economic drivers of insecurity. We need a comprehensive human security strategy that deals with issues of poverty, inequality, and governance failures, which extremist groups continue to exploit.”
He added that: “While it is understandable that many citizens are frustrated with civilian governments that have failed to deliver on governance and security, we should also not mince words that military rule is not a viable alternative in tackling governance deficits. History has shown that military regimes do not provide sustainable solutions. In fact, in the three countries that have now exited ECOWAS, terrorism and insecurity have worsened since the military took over.”
He tasked the leadership of ECOWAS to get a working arrangement with AES countries, stressing that: “The challenge for ECOWAS is how to engage these regimes while also ensuring a pathway back to credible democratic governance. It is crucial that ECOWAS continues to leverage diplomatic efforts in finding pragmatic ways that do not alienate the breakaway states further but instead brings them back into a cooperative regional framework.
“The current effort of the Commission in this regard is noted. In this regard, ECOWAS has always been a flexible and adaptive regional body, accommodating different sub-regional groupings like UEMOA, CENSAD, the Mano River Union, and others. There is no reason why AES (the putative Sahelian bloc of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger) cannot continue to be part of ECOWAS, even if they insist on maintaining a distinct identity. The goal should be to preserve regional cooperation, stability, and development, rather than encouraging further divisions.”
He added that: “All of the issues confronting the region collectively reinforce the urgency of rethinking and reimagining ECOWAS’s role in a changing West Africa. The regional body cannot continue business as usual. It must evolve to reflect the realities on the ground and to rebuild trust with its citizens. 50 years is a significant milestone in which ECOWAS has accomplished a lot, but it must also serve as a moment of reckoning: a time for deep reflection, bold reforms, and a renewed commitment to the principles of regional integration, security, and inclusive governance. The future of West Africa depends on the choices we make today, and it is clear that ECOWAS must embrace change if it is to remain relevant in the years ahead.”
On his part, the ECOWAS Commission President, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray lamented that the regional bloc today faces a crisis of democracy and security.
Touray, who was represented by the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador Abdufatah Musah, described the moment as one demanding “deep introspection and honest self-assessment.”
He said: “ECOWAS today faces a crisis of democracy and security. Manipulation of constitutions and exclusionary politics have become fashionable. Democracy is in crisis, and insecurity has worsened.”
He noted that the bloc’s history had passed through three phases: formation amid Cold War divisions, the peacekeeping era of the 1990s, and the current struggle with insecurity and governance.
“It was visionary leadership that created ECOWAS in 1975,” he recalled. “At that time, bringing together francophone, anglophone, and lusophone states was itself a miracle. Now, after fifty years, we must ask whether we are still faithful to that vision.”
He warned that “external shocks and internal weaknesses” had combined to create a turning point for West Africa. “The world is no longer bipolar; it is multipolar — even multicultural,” he said. “Countries now have choices based on their interests and values. West Africa must also choose — between people-centred democracy and authoritarian regression.”
He disclosed that ECOWAS had launched “a series of introspections” across its structures to redefine its strategy for the next 15 years.
He added that: “Citizens must be at the heart of this new ECOWAS. They must decide the direction we take. Every generation must discover its mission, fulfil it, or betray it. For West Africa, this is that defining mission.”
Also speaking, the Vice President (International Engagement) at King’s College London and Founding Director of the African Leadership Centre, Professor Funmi Olonisakin, said the 50th anniversary should provoke a fundamental rethink of the regional body’s purpose and structure.
“Even without the current crises, a strong case exists for a reinvention of the West African integration project. The transition from an ECOWAS of rulers — an elite club of political leaders — to a community of the people has not happened as hoped.”
Feyemi: Challenges of Poverty, Inequality, Governance Deficits and Insecurity Can Only Be Effectively Addressed in West Africa with Reform of ECOWAS
Zulum commissions remodelled ‘2nd chance school’ for vulnerable girls
.Disburses N1bn to SMEs in 5 LGAs
By: Our Reporter
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, on Thursday commissioned a fully remodelled “Second Chance School” for vulnerable girls and women in Biu Local Government Area.
The newly inaugurated facility is part of a strategic initiative designed to offer adult women, including those who missed formal education or dropped out of school due to prevailing challenges, a pathway to self-reliance.
The school’s curriculum is tailored towards providing comprehensive skills’ acquisition, critical digital knowledge and basic literacy, and numeracy training.
With the Biu centre now operational, Zulum’s administration has established three such schools across the state, with existing centres already operational in Maiduguri and Bama.
Meanwhile, Governor Zulum has disbursed N1 billion to small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) across five local government areas in southern Borno.
The targeted LGAs include Biu, Hawul, Shani, Bayo and Kwaya-Kusar, with the funds intended to support entrepreneurs and enhance business sustainability.
Zulum explained that the direct injection of capital into the SME sector is essential for driving grassroots development and fostering self-reliance in the post-insurgency recovery phase.
In a related development aimed at tackling youth restiveness and promoting social stability, Governor Zulum has ordered immediate employment of 200 young individuals from the Biu Local Government Area.
After the inauguration, Zulum visited Biu Specialist Hospital where he announced the immediate and automatic employment of a number of dedicated volunteer health workers who have served tirelessly.
He also inspected the 100-unit teachers’ housing estate under construction in Biu town. The estate is part of the Borno State Government’s motivational strategy to attract and retain qualified teaching professionals in public schools.
Governor Zulum has also directed immediate commencement of rehabilitation work on the Borno State Hotel Annexe in Biu.
Zulum commissions remodelled ‘2nd chance school’ for vulnerable girls
Environment Minister Calls for Inter-Agency Collaboration to Address Environmental Challenges
By: Michael Mike
The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, has urged enhanced inter-agency collaboration to tackle environmental challenges across Nigeria.
The call was made during a meeting with the Director-General of the National Hydro-Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC), Abubakar Sadiq, and his team at the Ministry’s Abuja office.
Highlighting potential areas of cooperation, Lawal emphasized the importance of climate-resilient water supply and sanitation (WASH) programs aimed at ensuring year-round access to safe, reliable, and clean water in communities affected by dam operations. He noted that such collaboration would not only improve access to safe drinking water but also reduce the prevalence of water-borne diseases in these areas.
On energy initiatives, the Minister discussed the distribution of clean cooking stoves to households in hydro-basin communities, stressing that this would significantly reduce household energy poverty, deforestation, and emissions through the adoption of energy-efficient cooking technologies.
Other proposed collaboration areas between the Ministry and N-HYPPADEC include erosion and flood management, ecosystem restoration, climate-resilient afforestation programs, youth and community engagement, job creation, and public awareness campaigns.
In his remarks, Abubakar Sadiq described N-HYPPADEC as a strategic partner of the Federal Ministry of Environment, outlining the commission’s impactful interventions across water supply, sanitation, housing, youth empowerment, water transport safety, and institutional strengthening. He also commended the Ministry for its prompt response to flood-prone areas, erosion challenges, and pollution management.
N-HYPPADEC maintains offices in Lokoja, Birnin Kebbi, Ilorin, Lafia, Jos, Gombe, Jalingo, Makurdi, Kaduna, with its headquarters in Minna, Niger State.
Environment Minister Calls for Inter-Agency Collaboration to Address Environmental Challenges
Health
Health Worker Exodus Deepens as Policy Brief Warns of Systemic Risk to Nigeria’s Healthcare Sector
Health Worker Exodus Deepens as Policy Brief Warns of Systemic Risk to Nigeria’s Healthcare Sector
By: Michael Mike
A new policy brief has warned that unless urgent welfare-focused reforms are implemented, the country risks a deepening crisis that could undermine access to quality healthcare nationwide.
Nigeria’s healthcare system is facing mounting pressure as the steady departure of doctors and nurses continues to erode service capacity, raising concerns about long-term system viability.
According to the policy analysis authored by health policy expert Dr Emmanuel Ejimonu, of the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership, more than 42,000 nurses left Nigeria between 2021 and early 2024, while thousands of Nigerian-trained doctors have registered to practise abroad, particularly in the United Kingdom. The trend shows no sign of slowing, as survey data cited in the report indicate that nearly three-quarters of medical and nursing students intend to seek employment overseas, with about one in three expressing no plans to return.
The report attributed the exodus largely to domestic welfare and governance challenges rather than professional ambition. Health workers interviewed consistently pointed to low and irregular salaries, unsafe and overstretched working environments, limited opportunities for funded specialist training and weak social protection systems. These challenges, the brief notes, have made emigration a rational choice in the face of institutional uncertainty, especially as global demand for health professionals continues to rise.
Although the Federal Government introduced a National Policy on Health Workforce Migration in 2023 to promote ethical recruitment and retention, the brief argues that its impact has been limited. Implementation gaps, inadequate funding and uneven execution at state and facility levels have prevented the policy from delivering meaningful improvements in working conditions.
The consequences of sustained health worker losses are already visible. Teaching hospitals are reportedly struggling to maintain specialist training and mentorship programmes, while recurring strikes highlight growing mistrust between health workers and government authorities. Economically, the country is losing returns on public investments in training, even as staff shortages compromise care delivery in both urban and rural facilities. Remaining workers also face rising burnout, further fuelling migration intentions.
Drawing on international experiences from countries such as Ghana, Kenya, the Philippines and Cuba, the policy brief stresses that health worker migration cannot be completely stopped. Instead, it recommends managing mobility through welfare-based retention strategies and credible governance structures.
Central to the recommendations is a proposed Welfare-First Retention Package, which prioritises guaranteed and timely payment of salaries, improved workplace safety, funded career progression, fair bonding arrangements and strengthened social protection. The package also calls for disciplined use of bilateral agreements and ethical recruitment frameworks to protect Nigeria’s investment in health worker training.
The brief estimates that, if properly funded and implemented, the proposed measures could reduce short-term health worker attrition by up to one-third within two years, while significantly improving retention over a five-year period.
The report stated that reversing the health workforce crisis will require treating welfare reform as a core economic and governance priority, backed by political will, fiscal discipline and strong institutional coordination. Without such action, the report warns, Nigeria risks the gradual hollowing out of its healthcare system, with far-reaching consequences for public health and national development.
Health Worker Exodus Deepens as Policy Brief Warns of Systemic Risk to Nigeria’s Healthcare Sector
“While the rest of us sleep, you keep watch over Nigeria” — Governor Diri praises soldiers’ sacrifices
Zulum commissions remodelled ‘2nd chance school’ for vulnerable girls
Environment Minister Calls for Inter-Agency Collaboration to Address Environmental Challenges
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