By Ihotu Uriel
As part of preparations for the upcoming West Africa Economic Summit (WAES), Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Special Envoy of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Her Excellency Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has embarked on a diplomatic tour to extend formal invitations to regional leaders.
During the mission, Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu led a delegation to The Gambia and Senegal, where she met with key government officials to deliver President Tinubu’s official invitation to the summit. In Banjul on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, she was warmly received by His Excellency, President Adama Barrow of The Gambia, to whom she personally presented the invitation letter.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, signed by spokesperson Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, the Gambian President expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for his leadership in initiating such a timely and strategic forum. President Barrow commended the initiative, noting the urgency for the region to shift from dependency on external aid to robust intra-regional cooperation and investment.
He remarked that “the global landscape no longer favors the donor-recipient model,” citing growing donor fatigue in Western nations. He emphasized that the summit presents an opportunity for West Africa to chart a new course towards economic integration and sustainable development. President Barrow pledged The Gambia’s full participation in what he described as a historic and transformative event.
Earlier, on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, the delegation visited Dakar, Senegal, where Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu delivered the special invitation to a high-ranking official of the Senegalese government on behalf of President Tinubu.
The West Africa Economic Summit is scheduled to take place from June 20–21, 2025, at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja. It is a flagship initiative under the leadership of President Tinubu, who also serves as Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted that the summit is expected to bring together Heads of State from across the sub-region, alongside prominent business leaders, global institutional heads, and economic experts. The gathering aims to foster sustainable development, deepen regional economic integration, and advance trade and investment across West Africa.
