President Bola Tinubu has hailed ECOWAS for restoring constitutional order and countering instability amid recent coups and the exit of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso from the West African regional bloc.

Mr Tinubu, who also serves as the chairman of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, stated this in his speech at the event marking the 50th anniversary of the West African bloc in Lagos on Wednesday.

“On peace and security, ECOWAS has acted decisively to restore constitutional order and counter instability. Our regional cooperation on counterterrorism and financial crime, including through GIABA, reflects our shared commitment to peace and safety,” Mr Tinubu said.

Mr Tinubu added, “In governance, ECOWAS has upheld democratic norms through election observation, mediation, and institutions such as the ECOWAS Parliament and Court of Justice — cementing accountability, rule of law, and people-centred governance.”

The Nigerian leader’s comments have sparked debates online, with some faulting him for claiming invisible victory despite a series of recent coups in the region that have plunged the country’s neighbours Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso into military regimes.

Under the leadership of Mr Tinubu as the head of ECOWAS, the junta regimes in Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso formally withdrew their respective countries from the bloc alliance earlier this year to establish the Alliance of Sahel States.

The breakaway of the three Francophone countries followed their suspension by ECOWAS and Mr Tinubu-led threats of military intervention to restore democratic rule in the region following the ousting of Niger’s civilian government in 2023.

Meanwhile, the recent disintegration of ECOWAS has caused breakdown of cooperation between countries in West Africa, especially in the fight against terrorism, with experts arguing this has contributed to the reemergence of terrorist attacks in Nigeria and its neighbouring countries.