ECOWAS leaders discuss coup in Guinea-Bissau

West African leaders moved into rapid crisis-management mode on Thursday as President Bola Tinubu joined his counterparts in an extraordinary ECOWAS virtual summit focused on the escalating political turmoil in Guinea-Bissau.

The emergency meeting, convened less than 24 hours after a military takeover in the country, underscored growing regional alarm over the resurgence of coups across West Africa.

According to details from the presidency and diplomatic channels, the session brought together leaders from all 15 ECOWAS member states, each expressing concern about the destabilising ripple effects the coup could trigger.

Officials described the summit as a coordinated attempt to prevent Guinea-Bissau’s situation from becoming yet another prolonged transition crisis in the subregion.

The military in Guinea-Bissau seized power on Wednesday, detaining President Umaro Sissoco Embalo following disputed elections.

The soldiers installed Gen. Horta Nta Na Man as the leader of a one-year transitional administration, a move ECOWAS has rejected as unconstitutional.

The country, home to about 2.2 million people, has experienced a long line of coups, attempted coups and political breakdowns since independence from Portugal in 1974 — making stability a constant challenge.

In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, spokesperson Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa said Nigeria “strongly condemns” the takeover and views it as a threat to democratic consolidation.

The statement reaffirmed Nigeria’s support for constitutional governance, urging the immediate release of Embalo and a swift return to civilian rule.

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Diplomats say Abuja is expected to take a leading role in negotiations, given Tinubu’s previous two-term tenure as ECOWAS Chairman, which ended in June 2025.

ECOWAS leaders also reviewed the broader security climate in the region, noting that recent coups in Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali have weakened democratic institutions and tested the bloc’s enforcement mechanisms.

Thursday’s meeting signalled a renewed commitment to preventing further breakdowns and to reinforcing tools such as sanctions, mediation teams and rapid diplomatic missions.

Sources familiar with the discussions said there was consensus that Guinea-Bissau cannot be allowed to drift into another prolonged transition, as it risks encouraging similar actions elsewhere.

Recommendations from the summit are expected to be announced later, but officials indicated that ECOWAS is considering sending a high-level delegation to Bissau immediately.

The session closed with leaders pledging to remain in continuous consultation as the situation evolves, reaffirming their collective stance that military rule will not be accepted in the region.

News Express