Beninese President Patrice Talon issued a stark warning on Saturday, declaring that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is facing serious challenges. Speaking at a regional economic summit in Abuja ahead of the bloc’s routine meeting, Talon cited failed infrastructure initiatives and weak intra-regional trade as major obstacles to integration.
“ECOWAS was designed as a model of regional unity, but right now, it’s struggling,” Talon said, according to a statement from Nigeria’s presidency.
He highlighted the 678-kilometer West African Gas Pipeline—which runs through Benin and Togo—as a symbol of the bloc’s dysfunction. Delays and poor coordination, he argued, have prevented it from delivering energy across national borders.
“This lack of cooperation is squandering valuable resources and undermining our shared goals,” Talon said, pointing out that Benin now relies on gas imports from Qatar to meet domestic needs. “That’s absurd,” he added.
Talon also criticized the West African Power Pool, a long-term initiative aimed at connecting national electricity grids across the region. Despite years of investment, the project has failed to meet expectations.
“If we don’t act boldly and urgently, I’m not optimistic about its future,” he warned.
Talon’s concerns echoed those of Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who noted that trade within the region still accounts for less than 10% of total trade volume.
“This isn’t a problem of commitment—it’s a failure of coordination,” Tinubu said. “The global economy won’t wait for us to fix ourselves. And frankly, we shouldn’t wait either.”
Talon also referenced the United States’ protectionist stance under former President Donald Trump, calling it “a wake-up call.”
“The U.S. is teaching us something important—they are unapologetically defending their interests. We must learn to do the same,” he concluded.
