West African leaders have issued a joint warning that democracy in the region is under growing strain and must begin to produce visible results for citizens, while also stressing that peace cannot be imposed but must be deliberately built through dialogue and cooperation.

The concerns were raised at the opening of the 2026 First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament held on Monday in Abuja, where regional lawmakers gathered amid rising insecurity, democratic reversals, and increasing public dissatisfaction across parts of West Africa.

Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, warned that the survival of democratic governance in the sub-region now depends on its ability to deliver tangible outcomes in security, economic stability, and public welfare.

He said while citizens across West Africa continue to reject military rule, their patience with democratic systems is weakening due to poor governance outcomes and rising socio-economic hardship.

Abbas noted that declining voter trust, weak institutions, and recurring unconstitutional changes of government reflect deeper structural problems that democratic systems must urgently address.

“The issue is not whether democracy remains the preferred system, but whether it is delivering sufficiently to sustain that preference,” he said, warning that governance failures could further expand the space for instability.

The Nigerian Speaker also pushed for a stronger and more empowered ECOWAS Parliament, arguing that its current advisory status limits its ability to respond effectively to regional crises.

He renewed calls for reforms, including enhanced legislative authority, stronger oversight powers, and improved enforcement mechanisms for regional agreements.

According to him, previous proposals to strengthen the Parliament have yet to be fully implemented, but the present instability across the region makes such reforms more urgent.

“A Parliament with limited influence cannot adequately respond to democratic reversals, security pressures, and economic uncertainty,” Abbas said.

Abbas also defended Nigeria’s recent economic reforms, including fuel subsidy removal and exchange rate unification, describing them as difficult but necessary decisions taken within a democratic framework.

He said early results show increased fiscal inflows to subnational governments and improved capacity for infrastructure and social investment, while acknowledging that challenges persist.

He argued that Nigeria’s experience demonstrates that even tough reforms can be implemented without resorting to military intervention, warning against a growing tendency toward unconstitutional power shifts in parts of the region.

In a separate address, the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, HadjaMémounatou Ibrahima, stressed that peace in West Africa cannot be declared or imposed by authority, but must be carefully built over time.

She said the region is facing a period of heightened geopolitical uncertainty, adding that “no region is immune” to the global spread of instability and conflict.

“The message must be clear: peace cannot be decreed — it must be patiently built through dialogue, cooperation, and mutual respect,” she said, urging member states to deepen collaboration in addressing shared challenges.

Ibrahima also highlighted ongoing reforms within the regional bloc, noting that ECOWAS is undergoing a strategic reassessment of its future direction. She announced that the upcoming ECOWAS Future Summit scheduled for 21 May in Lomé, Togo, will focus on accelerating the implementation of ECOWAS Vision 2050.

The summit is expected to explore how regional integration can be strengthened and adapted to emerging political, economic, and security realities across West Africa. (Arise News)

Update news