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Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change , Renewable Energy, and Food Security (PI-CREF), Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella, has wrapped up a key diplomatic mission to Nigeria following his appointment by His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone as Special Envoy for the upcoming ECOWAS Integration and Investment Summit.
The summit, marking the 50th anniversary of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), is set to play a pivotal role in reshaping the region’s economic landscape.
Its primary goal is to stimulate economic growth through strategic investments and to promote regional value chains in key sectors such as energy trade, strategic minerals, agribusiness, and digital transformation.
High-level participants, including Heads of State, ministers, private sector leaders, and regional development institutions, will be attending the event.
Yumkella’s visit to Nigeria was the first stop in a series of consultations and engagements across the ECOWAS region. His mission is focused on redefining West Africa’s developmental trajectory by unlocking the region’s vast natural resources to drive industrial growth, create jobs, and ensure shared prosperity.
The consultations in Nigeria, which took place in Abuja, aimed to strengthen collaborative efforts across the region to align on a unified economic development path ahead of the summit.
During his time in Nigeria, Yumkella’s delegation held important meetings with senior officials, including the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, and Vice President Mme. Damtiens Larbli Tchintchibidja.
Other key discussions took place with the Minister of Power and his team, as well as the Director General of the West Africa Power Pool, and the Permanent Secretary for Solid Minerals, among others.
Yumkella also met with the Executive Director of the West Africa Economic Summit (WAES) Secretariat within the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and senior executives from the African Development Bank and the Sustainable Energy for All office.
The ECOWAS Investment Summit, scheduled for later in the year, represents a shift toward an action-oriented approach to regional integration. By focusing on economic collaboration, structured partnerships, and investment-led growth, the summit seeks to deliver tangible benefits to the people of West Africa.
Dr. Yumkella emphasized that the event’s success will depend not only on political commitment but also on measurable economic outcomes, particularly in the areas of sustainable energy, mineral beneficiation, agribusiness, and digital transformation.
“This summit signals a new chapter in regional economic cooperation, where we must move beyond discussions to real, impactful investments that can transform the lives of millions in West Africa,” Yumkella said.
He reiterated the significance of private-sector investment, particularly in clean and sustainable energy, which will be a key pillar in driving the region’s integration.
Dr. Yumkella’s appointment underscores President Julius Maada Bio’s dynamic leadership within ECOWAS, particularly his vision for the organization as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.
Under Bio’s leadership, the ECOWAS region is focusing on concrete actions that will accelerate economic integration and set the foundation for long-term regional prosperity.
As Special Envoy, Yumkella is tasked with fostering strategic partnerships that will drive cross-border trade, enhance e-commerce, and create regional value chains that benefit all West African nations.
The upcoming ECOWAS Integration and Investment Summit is expected to be a milestone event in the region’s development, catalyzing investments that will support industrialization, enhance food security, and promote sustainable energy solutions across West Africa.
