- Tinubu was recently re-elected as the chairman of the Economic Community of West African States on Sunday, July 7, 2024
- In lieu of this new development, TheRadar compiled the full list of ECOWAS chairmen from inception till date
- From the list, many Nigerian presidents have chaired ECOWAS
Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the president of Nigeria, was recently re-elected as the chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Sunday, July 7, 2024, by the ECOWAS’ Authority of Heads of State and Government. He had previously emerged as the chairman of ECOWAS on July 9, 2023, before being re-elected.
In light of this new development, TheRadar compiled a full list of ECOWAS chairmen from its inception (1975) to the present. Many of the ECOWAS past chairmen are from Nigeria.
Full list of ECOWAS chairmen (1975 till date)
- Yakubu Gowon (Nigeria) May 28, 1975- July 29, 1975
Gowon was the founding chairman of ECOWAS, having served as the Head of State in Nigeria from 1966-1975.
1. Gnassingbé Eyadema (Togo) July 29, 1975-September 13, 1977
He ruled as the President of Togo from 1967-2005, when he died and handed over the presidency to his son. He took over the chairmanship of ECOWAS from Gowon.
2. Olusegun Obasanjo (Nigeria) 1978-1979
Obasanjo served as Nigeria’s Head of State from 1976-1979 and later President of Nigeria from 1999-2007. He served as the chairman of ECOWAS from 1978-1979.
3. Léopold Sédar Senghor (Senegal) 1979–1980
He was the first President of Senegal from 1960-1980 and served as the chairman of ECOWAS during his tenure as President from 1979-1980.
4. Gnassingbé Eyadéma (Togo) 1980–1981
Eyadéma, the former president of Togo, served for the second time as ECOWAS chairman from 1980-1981.
5. Siaka Stevens (Sierra Leone) 1981–1982
He was President of Sierra Leone from 1971 to 1985 and chairman of ECOWAS during his tenure.
6. Mathieu Kérékou (Benin) 1982–1983
Mathieu was the President of the People's Republic of Benin from 1972-1991, and thereafter the President of the Republic of Benin from 1996-2006. He served as the Chairman of ECOWAS from 1982-1983
7. Ahmed Sékou Touré (Guinea) 1983–1984
He was the first President of Guinea and served from 1958 till he died in 1984. During his tenure as President, he served as the chairman of ECOWAS from 1983-1984.
8. Lansana Conté (Guinea) 1984–1985
He succeeded Ahmed Sékou as the second President of Guinea and also as the Chairman of ECOWAS.
9. Muhammadu Buhari (Nigeria) 1985-August 27, 1985
Buhari served as the military Head of State from 1983-1985 before serving as the President of Nigeria from 2015-2023. He served as the chairman of ECOWAS in 1985 before the expiration of his tenure as the Head of State.
10. Ibrahim Babangida (Nigeria) August 27, 1985-1989
Babangida was the Military Head of State from 1985 till his resignation in 1993. He served as the chairman of ECOWAS from 1985-1989.
11. Dawda Jawara (The Gambia) 1989-1990
He was the first president of The Gambia from 1970 - 1994 and served as the chairman of ECOWAS during his tenure.
12. Blaise Compaoré (Burkina Faso) 1990-1991
He was the second President of Burkina Faso from 1987-2014 and served as the Chairman of ECOWAS from 1999-1991.
13. Dawda Jawara (Gambia) 1991–1992
Dawda served for the second time as the Chairman of ECOWAS from 1991-1992.
14. Abdou Diouf (Senegal) 1992–1993
Abdou served as the second President of Senegal from 1981-2000.
15. Nicéphore Soglo (Benin Republic) 1993–1994
Nicéphore was the President of Benin Republic from 1991-1996 and served as the chairman of ECOWAS for one year between 1993-1994.
16. Jerry Rawlings (Ghana) 1994 - July 27, 1996
Jerry was the President of Ghana who served for two terms and emerged as the chairman of ECOWAS in 1994.
17. Sani Abacha (Nigeria) July 27, 1996 - June 8, 1998
Abacha was Nigeria's Military Head of State from 1993 to 1998 and chairman of ECOWAS from 1996 to 1998.
18. Abdulsalami Abubakar (Nigeria) June 9, 1998 – 1999
He served as Nigeria's Military Head of State from 1998-1999 and served as the chairman of ECOWAS during this same period.
19. Gnassingbe Eyadema (Togo) 1999
This is the third time Gnassingbe served as the Chairman of ECOWAS, having previously served between 1975 - 1977 and 1980 - 1981.
Others include:
20. Alpha Oumar Konare (Mali) 1999–2001
21. Abdoulaye Wade (Senegal) December 21, 2001 – January 31, 2003
22. John Kufour (Ghana) January 31, 2003 – January 19, 2005
23. Mamadu Tandja (Niger) 19 January 19, 2005 – January 19, 2007
24. Blaise Compaore (Burkina Faso) January 19, 2007 –December 19, 2008
25. Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (Nigeria) December 19, 2008 - February 18, 2010)
26. Goodluck Jonathan (Nigeria) 18 February 18, 2010 – February 17, 2012
27. Alassare Ouattara (Ivory Coast) February 17, 2012 – February 17, 2013
28. John Mahama (Ghana) May 19, 2013 – June 4, 2015
29. Macky Sall (Senegal) June 4, 2015 – July 31, 2016
30. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (Liberia) (4 June 4, 2016 – June 4, 2017
31. Faure Gnassingbe (Togo) June 4, 2017 – July 31, 2018)
32. Muhammadu Buhari (Nigeria) July 31, 2018 – June 29, 2019
33. Mahamadou Issoufou (Niger) June 29, 2019 – June 2, 2020
34. Nana Akufo-Addo (Ghana) June 2, 2020 – July 3, 2022
35. Umaro Sissoco Embalo (Guinea) Bissau July 3, 2022 – July 9, 2023
36. Bola Ahmed Tinubu (Nigeria) July 9, 2023 – till date
Tinubu creates Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, states reason for move
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that Nigerian president Bola Tinubu had announced the creation of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development.
The president made the announcement on Tuesday, July 9, during the inauguration of the Renewed Hope Livestock Reform Implementation Committee at the Presidential Villa in Abuja but did not name who would be in charge of the ministry.
