ECOWAS to launch 50th Anniversary celebrations in Accra on April 22

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will celebrate its 50th anniversary. The official launch is on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Accra, Ghana. Heads of State and Government will attend the event. Ministers and dignitaries are also expected to be present.

The launch will unveil the ECOWAS Golden Jubilee logo and theme. There will be artistic performances highlighting the bloc’s history and achievements. This event starts a year-long series of activities across Member States. The ECOWAS Conference of Heads of State and Government endorsed these commemorative activities.

ECOWAS was established on May 28, 1975, in Lagos, Nigeria. Its goal is to promote economic integration among West African nations. Initially, it included 15 countries. Cabo Verde joined in 1977, while Mauritania withdrew in 2000 but signed an association agreement in 2017. Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger withdrew from the bloc in January 2025.

Current Member States are Benin, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. ECOWAS is a key part of the African Economic Community. It promotes regional cooperation in transport, energy, agriculture, and trade.

The region's collective GDP is $734.8 billion. In 2007, ECOWAS restructured its Secretariat into a Commission for better leadership. The Commission has a President, Vice-President, five Commissioners, and an Auditor General.

ECOWAS is mainly funded by a 0.5% community levy on imports from non-Member States. Its programs aim to deepen integration and eliminate barriers. The vision for 2050 is to transform from an “ECOWAS of States” to an “ECOWAS of Peoples.” This transformation focuses on peace and shared prosperity.