Wednesday, April 29, 2026 - China on Tuesday handed over the ECOWAS Headquarters building it constructed in Abuja as a landmark symbol of friendship, regional cooperation, and shared development with West Africa.
The Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Yu Dunhai,
during the handover ceremony said the project marked a historic moment in the
three-decade relationship between China and the West African bloc.
According to him, ties between both sides had continued to
flourish on the principles of mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit and
win-win cooperation.
“I think this is going to be a historical moment in the
history of the friendly cooperation between China and ECOWAS. This is a great
milestone,” Yu said.
He said China and ECOWAS had deepened political trust,
strengthened practical cooperation, supported peace and stability, and promoted
people-to-people exchanges over the years.
Yu described the complex as a modern, intelligent and
multifunctional facility that would improve the effectiveness of the ECOWAS
Commission.
“The successful handover of this building is going to
enhance the operational capacity of the ECOWAS Commission and also provide a
platform for member states to chart the future of regional development,” he
said.
The envoy reiterated China’s cooperation model with Africa,
saying it was based on sovereignty, non-interference and no political
conditions attached.
“Our cooperation has always been based on the actual needs
of African countries,” he said.
Yu also praised Nigeria’s leadership role in Africa,
describing the country as a major player on the continent and globally.
He said China attached great importance to relations with
Nigeria, noting that bilateral ties had accelerated since President Bola
Tinubu’s state visit to China in 2024.
He listed key cooperation projects to include the Lekki Deep
Sea Port, railways, roads and airports.
Yu stressed the importance of food security and said both
countries had strong potential for agricultural collaboration.
He added that Chinese telecommunications company Huawei had
trained more than 70,000 Nigerian youths in information technology.
Also speaking, Dr Omar Touray, the President of the ECOWAS
Commission, expressed appreciation to China for its support to the regional
bloc.
He said the new headquarters was a major institutional boost
that would support implementation of regional decisions on trade, peace,
security and free movement.
“This is a facility that provides a good working space for
the bureaucracy that is supposed to help implement decisions on regional
integration, peace and security, decisions on trade and free movement of people
in our region,” Touray said.
He added that China’s zero-tariff policy for exports from
African countries offered a major economic opportunity for ECOWAS member
states.
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca
Odumegwu-Ojukwu, said the occasion represented more than the opening of a
building.
“It represents the consolidation of a vision, a
reaffirmation of unity, and a renewed commitment to the ideals of regional
integration, peace and sustainable development,” she said.
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