WAES 2025 concludes with historic deals & unified call for economic renaissance in West Africa

After two transformative days of robust dialogue, strategic collaboration, and cultural connection, the West Africa Economic Summit (WAES) 2025 has officially concluded with renewed confidence in the region’s economic trajectory. Held in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, WAES 2025 convened a powerhouse lineup of policy shapers, investors, entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, and cultural icons under one roof to explore actionable strategies for advancing regional trade, investment, and economic integration under the AfCFTA framework. Day one opened with a vibrant cultural showcase that set the tone for a summit that values identity as much as innovation. Throughout the summit, high-level keynote addresses, breakout workshops, youth-led panels, and industry discussions dissected pressing themes such as green energy, fintech innovation, cross-border trade, food security, and private sector empowerment. Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (OON), Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chair of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, reinforced this call to action with a strong message of urgency and optimism. In his words: “Abuja is a symbol of what West Africans can build when we shape outcomes for ourselves. Our purpose here is to reset the vision for the region’s economic future, and that future depends on the ingenuity, creativity, and enterprise of our people.” He also emphasised that West Africa must not forget its historic strengths: “Markets are a West African story, a story about trade, innovation, and the generation of wealth and opportunity. We still believe in free markets—not a free-for-all, but markets that thrive because of effective co-operation between supply and demand, regulated by accepted and acceptable parameters.” Day two built on the momentum of the opening day with sector-focused working groups delivering concrete policy recommendations. Business-to-business panel sessions witnessed partnership pitches and memoranda of understanding, particularly in agritech, digital finance, and infrastructure development. One of the summit’s key outcomes was the launch of the WAES Youth Investment Pipeline, a blended finance initiative designed to support SMEs and startups led by West African youth. Announced during the Youth Economic Inclusion Forum, the initiative received co-signatures from major financial institutions and private equity firms. The summit witnessed active participation from prominent private sector leaders, including First Bank, NNPC Limited, Suburban Technologies, Flutterwave, and the Dangote Group. Their engagements spanned exhibitions, masterclasses, and investor roundtables, reflecting a growing confidence in intra-African investments. In place of royal charters and monopolies, Tuggar said, governments today must focus on creating an enabling environment. “Our job now, our responsibility, is to help find the best way to deliver goods and services to our people, to help the private sector and the free market to do what they do best by generating investment and building capacity.” He also noted the urgency of building infrastructure and unlocking underutilised regional potential. “We want this summit to show that West Africa can deliver the space where government, industry, and other stakeholders can meet and make deals—without having to transplant ourselves, shivering, to one summit or another in wintry venues. It’s good to talk, better still to deliver.” Earlier in the summit, he highlighted this: “We are not offering royal charters to monopoly corporations. That era is gone. Now, our responsibility is to empower the private sector to do what it does best: generate investment, deliver services, and build capacity.” He concluded by highlighting West Africa’s hidden potential in global industries: “From rare minerals to data infrastructure, the resources we need to shape the future already exist in this region. Let this summit and those that follow prove themselves part of the fabric of that change.” While the curtain has fallen on WAES 2025, the momentum it generated continues to reverberate across the region. The summit was lauded by youth ambassadors and key opinion leaders, reflecting a digitally connected movement ready to build Africa’s future. Follow @waesummit on Instagram to stay updated as it all unfolds. _—_ #FeaturedPost