Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger exit weakened ECOWAS integration — Nigerian Presidency

The withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from the Economic Community of West African States has weakened key mechanisms for regional integration and created a major challenge to cooperation within West Africa, the Presidency has said.

Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, made the remarks on Thursday at a policy colloquium organised by the Ministry of Defence in Abuja.

The three Sahelian countries formally left ECOWAS in January 2025, following their announcement in 2024 of plans to withdraw from the regional bloc. They have since strengthened their cooperation through the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

Dare said the withdrawal had disrupted regional mechanisms, particularly ECOWAS protocols aimed at promoting economic integration and facilitating the movement of goods and services across member states.

“The rupture that came in 2025, when the countries pulled out of ECOWAS, created a major regional crisis,” Dare said, adding that the development had also resulted in the emergence of the AES as a rival regional framework.

He further stressed the importance of effective border management to both economic integration and regional security, describing national borders as a critical frontline for maintaining stability.

According to him, well-managed borders can support legitimate trade and movement while strengthening security, whereas weak border controls can create opportunities for instability and other security threats.

Dare also rejected claims that Nigeria’s borders were closed, saying the country’s borders remained open but subject to necessary controls by relevant government agencies.

“Nigeria’s borders are open,” he said, warning politicians against turning border security into an issue for electoral campaigns or using it to score political points.

He explained that the concept of open borders should not be interpreted as unrestricted movement, noting that immigration, customs and other security agencies remained responsible for regulating activities at the country’s entry and exit points.

“Our borders are critical. There are no open borders without controls. So, you must understand there is a distinction,” he said.

Also speaking at the event, Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), said the Tinubu administration was focused on strengthening Nigeria’s national security architecture to protect the country’s sovereignty, democratic institutions and development interests.

Musa said the Federal Government was committed to providing the Armed Forces with the capabilities required to respond effectively to the country’s evolving security environment.

He said Nigeria’s security challenges increasingly cut across land, maritime, air and cyberspace, requiring a coordinated defence strategy involving intelligence sharing, joint operations and greater interoperability among the Armed Forces and other security institutions.

“Our defence architecture must remain agile and forward-looking, with the capacity to anticipate threats, respond decisively and protect Nigeria’s territorial integrity and vital national interests,” he said.

The minister also identified technological advancement as an increasingly important component of modern defence, pointing to developments in artificial intelligence, unmanned systems, surveillance and reconnaissance, cyber capabilities and other emerging technologies.

He stated that Nigeria must continue investing in these areas while developing the human resources, military doctrine and institutional structures necessary to integrate new technologies into its defence capabilities.

The Special Adviser to the Minister on Media, Leah Katung-Babatunde, said the policy colloquium was designed as a non-partisan platform for bringing together defence experts, policymakers, technologists, academics, civil society representatives, media professionals and other stakeholders.

She said the objective was not merely to identify existing challenges but to develop practical solutions that could strengthen public policy and contribute to Nigeria’s long-term national resilience.