ECOWAS Appoints Aliko Dangote as First Chairman of New Business Council

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has named industrialist Aliko Dangote as the inaugural Chairman of its newly created ECOWAS Business Council (EBC), a body designed to accelerate regional economic integration and private-sector driven growth.

The announcement was made by ECOWAS Commission President Dr. Omar Touray during the 95th Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers held on Wednesday in Abuja.

The EBC, which will operate as an independent and private-sector-led platform, is expected to play a central role in mobilising regional investment and strengthening economic collaboration across West Africa.

Dr. Touray said Dangote was chosen for the position because of his unmatched business experience and influence across the continent. He noted that ECOWAS is shifting its development strategy toward harnessing regional capital and reducing reliance on unstable foreign investment.

“This appetite for intra-regional investment underscores the need to mobilise capital within our region to build our community, rather than wait for precarious foreign investments,” he said, citing major investment forums recently held in Senegal, Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire.

Touray expressed confidence that with leading investors like Dangote at the helm, the West African private sector can drive sustainable development, provided they are given the right support and incentives.

Through the new Business Council, ECOWAS plans to convene private-sector leaders, foster economic dialogue, and push forward initiatives aimed at deepening regional integration.