West African leaders have cautioned that democracy in the region is coming under increasing strain and must begin to deliver clear and measurable benefits to citizens, while emphasising that lasting peace cannot be imposed but must be deliberately cultivated through dialogue and cooperation.
The warning came during the opening of the 2026 First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament held on Monday in Abuja, where lawmakers from across the sub-region met against a backdrop of worsening insecurity, democratic setbacks, and growing public dissatisfaction.
Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, said the future of democratic governance in West Africa now depends heavily on its ability to produce tangible results in key areas such as security, economic stability, and social welfare.
He noted that although citizens in the region continue to reject military rule, confidence in democratic institutions is weakening due to poor governance outcomes and persistent socio-economic hardship.
Abbas warned that declining voter trust, fragile institutions, and repeated unconstitutional changes of government point to deeper structural challenges that must be urgently addressed if democracy is to remain stable.
“The issue is not whether democracy remains the preferred system, but whether it is delivering sufficiently to sustain that preference,” he said, adding that governance failures risk widening instability across the region.
He also advocated for a stronger ECOWAS Parliament, arguing that its current advisory role limits its effectiveness in addressing regional crises.
Abbas renewed calls for institutional reforms, including expanded legislative authority, stronger oversight functions, and improved mechanisms for enforcing regional decisions.
He said previous reform proposals remain largely unimplemented, despite growing instability making them more necessary.
“A Parliament with limited influence cannot adequately respond to democratic reversals, security pressures, and economic uncertainty,” he warned.
The Nigerian Speaker also defended recent domestic economic reforms in Nigeria, including the removal of fuel subsidies and the unification of exchange rates, describing them as difficult but necessary measures taken within a democratic framework.
He said early outcomes suggest improved fiscal inflows to subnational governments and greater capacity for infrastructure and social investment, while acknowledging that economic pressures remain significant.
According to him, Nigeria’s experience shows that difficult reforms can still be implemented under democratic governance without resorting to military rule, cautioning against a resurgence of unconstitutional power changes in parts of West Africa.
In a separate presentation, Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Hadja Mémounatou Ibrahima, stressed that peace in the region cannot be imposed by decree but must be carefully built through sustained engagement.
She said West Africa is currently operating in a period of heightened global uncertainty, noting that “no region is immune” to rising instability and conflict worldwide.
“The message must be clear: peace cannot be decreed, it must be patiently built through dialogue, cooperation, and mutual respect,” she said, urging stronger collaboration among member states.
Ibrahima also pointed to ongoing institutional reforms within ECOWAS, explaining that the organisation is reassessing its strategic direction.
She announced that the ECOWAS Future Summit scheduled for 21 May in Lomé, Togo, would focus on accelerating the implementation of ECOWAS Vision 2050.
The summit is expected to consider ways to deepen regional integration and adapt to evolving political, economic, and security challenges across West Africa.
