The ECOWAS Council of Ministers, meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, has unanimously endorsed Ghana’s President, John Dramani Mahama, as the sole candidate from the West African bloc for the Chairperson of the African Union (AU) when the rotating leadership returns to the region in 2027.
The endorsement was contained in a recommendation adopted at the Ninety-Fifth Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers held on December 12, 2025, in Abuja.
According to the communiqué, signed by H.E. Alhaji Musa Timothy Kabba, the Council took note of Ghana’s request for Member States’ support and highlighted the country’s role as an important ECOWAS Member State with a strong record in contributing to regional integration and international diplomacy.
The Council underscored the need for ECOWAS to adopt a united front as the AU’s rotational chairmanship approaches West Africa’s turn, noting that consolidated support increases the region’s influence within continental governance structures.
The Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government is expected to adopt the Council’s declaration on Sunday, which would formally affirm President Mahama as the Community’s endorsed candidate for the continental role.
