The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has launched the ECOWAS Business Council, appointing Nigerian industrialist Alhaji Aliko Dangote as its inaugural chairman. The initiative is designed to strengthen private-sector participation in regional economic integration and investment promotion.
The announcement was made on Wednesday during the opening of the 95th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers in Abuja, where ECOWAS Commission President Dr. Omar Alieu Touray addressed member states.
“The private sector actors in West Africa can lead the way in the development of our Community if given the right incentives and opportunities,” Dr. Touray said, highlighting Dangote’s extensive experience and investment footprint across the region.
Objectives of the Business Council
The ECOWAS Business Council is expected to:
- Foster sustained dialogue and collaboration between private sector actors, national governments, and ECOWAS institutions.
- Promote intra-regional investment and mobilize capital from within West Africa.
- Support broader objectives of economic integration and sustainable development.
- Reduce the region’s dependence on foreign investment by encouraging local and regional capital flows.
About Aliko Dangote
Aliko Dangote is the founder, president, and CEO of the Dangote Group, West Africa’s largest conglomerate, with a presence in 17 African countries. His businesses span cement, sugar, and oil refining, and he is widely recognized as Africa’s richest individual, with a net worth of $30.6 billion according to Bloomberg (November 2025) and $26.2 billion according to Forbes.
“Dangote’s selection as chairman reflects his unparalleled record in regional investment and business leadership,” Dr. Touray added.
The Council is seen as a strategic platform to harness the potential of West Africa’s private sector in advancing regional development.The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has launched the ECOWAS Business Council, appointing Nigerian industrialist Alhaji Aliko Dangote as its inaugural chairman. The initiative is designed to strengthen private-sector participation in regional economic integration and investment promotion.
The announcement was made on Wednesday during the opening of the 95th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers in Abuja, where ECOWAS Commission President Dr. Omar Alieu Touray addressed member states.
“The private sector actors in West Africa can lead the way in the development of our Community if given the right incentives and opportunities,” Dr. Touray said, highlighting Dangote’s extensive experience and investment footprint across the region.
Objectives of the Business Council
The ECOWAS Business Council is expected to:
- Foster sustained dialogue and collaboration between private sector actors, national governments, and ECOWAS institutions.
- Promote intra-regional investment and mobilize capital from within West Africa.
- Support broader objectives of economic integration and sustainable development.
- Reduce the region’s dependence on foreign investment by encouraging local and regional capital flows.
About Aliko Dangote
Aliko Dangote is the founder, president, and CEO of the Dangote Group, West Africa’s largest conglomerate, with a presence in 17 African countries. His businesses span cement, sugar, and oil refining, and he is widely recognized as Africa’s richest individual, with a net worth of $30.6 billion according to Bloomberg (November 2025) and $26.2 billion according to Forbes.
“Dangote’s selection as chairman reflects his unparalleled record in regional investment and business leadership,” Dr. Touray added.
The Council is seen as a strategic platform to harness the potential of West Africa’s private sector in advancing regional development.
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