The ECOWAS Ad-Hoc Ministerial Committee on the Construction of Headquarters of Community Institutions convened on July 5, 2024, at the construction site of the New ECOWAS Headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria. The meeting aimed to review the report from the Experts’ Meeting and assess progress at the site.
The new headquarters, named “The Eye of West Africa,” is located along Airport Road in Abuja and is being constructed with a grant from the People’s Republic of China through the China International Development Cooperation Agency (China Aid).
H.E. Madam Damtien L. Tchintchibidja, Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission, welcomed participants and expressed gratitude to Nigeria for providing land, duty waivers, development permits, and other support for the project. She also thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Government of China for their assistance. “This gesture represents a beacon in the ongoing cooperation between the People’s Republic of China and ECOWAS Member States,” she stated.
H.E. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, commended his colleagues for their dedication to regional integration and socio-economic development. He remarked that “the new ECOWAS Headquarters is poised to become a beacon of hope, embodying our shared values and heritage.”
Following their meeting, ministers toured the construction site where work has reached 33% physical completion and 45% financial completion since it began in November 2022. The project is expected to be completed by February 2025.
A brief “Topping-out Ceremony” was held before the site visit. Attendees included Mr. Wei Pengfei, General Manager of Shaanxi Construction Engineering Group Company (SCEGC) International Corporation; H.E. Mr. Zhang Yi, Charge d’affaires at the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria; among other dignitaries.
