Tuggar: Greater Economic and Regional Integration in West Africa Require Collaboration of All Countries in Sub-Region

Tuggar: Greater Economic and Regional Integration in West Africa Require Collaboration of All Countries in Sub-Region

By: Michael Mike

Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar has said in order to achieve greater economic and regional integration in West Africa, there is urgent need for more collaboration among countries in the sub-region.

Tuggar also stressed the need for the region to leverage its shared market potential and demographic advantages.

The Minister made the assertion while speaking at a Private Sector Roundtable in Lagos, as part of the build-up to the West Africa Economic Summit (WAES, which will be held from 20–21 June in Abuja, Nigeria.

The roundtable also had in attendance top business leaders gathered at the Metropolitan Club, Victoria Island.

Tuggar, at the event, stated that the country’s economic stature within the West African sub-region is both significant and uncontested, but that there is need for partnership among the nations in the region.

He said: “National strength alone is not sufficient enough to sustain long-term growth or to assert effective regional leadership. In an increasingly interconnected global economy, the imperative is clear: West Africa must transcend fragmented national pursuits and pursue greater regional integration.”

The Minister affirmed that by leveraging the collective demographic advantage of over 400 million people and unlocking the latent potential embedded in the region’s shared markets, West Africa we can cultivate a more resilient and inclusive regional economic architecture.

He stated that: “Such a collaborative approach is not merely desirable; it is essential for sustainable development, competitive positioning, and the realisation of a common prosperity across the sub-region.”

The Minister explained that WAES focuses on deliverables, identifying the appropriate tools, policies, infrastructure, and financing, and deploying them to facilitate business in West Africa, making it faster, cheaper, and more predictable.

Tuggar: Greater Economic and Regional Integration in West Africa Require Collaboration of All Countries in Sub-Region