Jihadist violence and coups test West Africa ECOWAS bloc at 50

A statue is seen inside the Eko Conventional Hall where leaders from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will gather to celebrate the golden jubilee of the regional bloc in Nigeria's commercial capital, Lagos, Nigeria, May 28, 2025. REUTERS/Sodiq Adelakun

LAGOS (Reuters) -The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) faces growing threats of terrorism, climate change, military coups, and poverty, its most senior official said on Wednesday as leaders marked 50 years since the bloc's formation in Nigeria.

Jihadist violence has surged this year in Nigeria and the Sahel region, including Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger - nations that have recently seceded from ECOWAS in protest over sanctions following military coups.