Senegal’s Faye elected ECOWAS Chair, Diop named Commission President
Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has been elected Chair of ECOWAS, while General Birame Diop has been named President of the ECOWAS Commission.
Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has been elected Chair of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) following the bloc’s 69th Ordinary Session held in Freetown, Sierra Leone. He succeeds to the rotating leadership role, which provides political direction for the regional organisation and its member states. During the summit, member states also elected General Birame Diop, Senegal’s former Minister of the Armed Forces and former United Nations military adviser, as the new President of the ECOWAS Commission. He is expected to assume office on September 1, 2026, at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria.
In his first remarks after the appointment, President Faye thanked fellow West African leaders for their confidence and pledged to work towards strengthening regional unity and cooperation. He also congratulated General Diop on his election, promising his full support as he takes up the role. Faye reaffirmed his commitment to promoting a united and more integrated West Africa through ECOWAS.
The Nigerian stake is direct. ECOWAS is headquartered in Abuja, and Nigeria is the bloc’s largest economy and most influential member. The election of a Senegalese president as chair and a Senegalese general as commission president is a significant development for Senegal’s diplomatic influence, but it also raises questions about Nigeria’s role in the region.
From a Nigerian vantage point, the leadership changes are a reminder that Nigeria must remain engaged in regional diplomacy. The country has traditionally played a leading role in ECOWAS, and the election of a Senegalese chair and commission president could signal a shift in the regional balance of power.
This echoes the 2022 ECOWAS leadership changes, when Nigeria’s influence was also tested. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: a reminder that Nigeria must earn its regional leadership.
The winners: Senegal, which has gained significant regional influence; and ECOWAS, which has new leadership. The losers: Nigeria, which must now navigate a region where it is no longer the dominant voice.
Bottom Line: Senegal’s Faye is the new ECOWAS Chair. A Senegalese general is the new Commission President. Nigeria remains the host. The question is whether Nigeria will remain the leader.