President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja on Tuesday for Lagos, where he will join other West African leaders to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

In a statement signed, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy) said the golden jubilee celebration, which was formally flagged off in Accra last month, will continue in Lagos with a series of high-level events, including a reenactment of the 1975 founding declaration at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island.

At a commemorative event scheduled to take place at the Eko Hotels and Suites, President Tinubu, who currently serves as Chairman of ECOWAS, is expected to highlight the economic bloc’s milestones over the past five decades.

Also expected to speak is the Chairman of the NIIA and former Minister of External Affairs, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, who will provide an overview of ECOWAS’ 50-year journey. His presentation will be followed by a panel session featuring leading regional experts.

Notably, former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (Rtd), the only surviving leader among the signatories of the original ECOWAS declaration, will be in attendance and will deliver a keynote address during the ceremony.

The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, will deliver the welcome address at the event.

While in Lagos, President Tinubu will also commission a number of significant infrastructure projects on Saturday, May 31. These include Section I of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Lekki Deep Sea Port Tax Credit Concrete Road, the flag-off of Section II of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, and the 7th Axial Road.

He will also perform virtual commissioning of the Kano-Kanwar-Danja-Hadejiya Section II Road, the Yakasai-Zalli Road, and the flag-off of the Kano Northern Bypass, Zaria-Hunkuyi-Dabai Section I, Dabai-Kafur Malumfashi, and Malumfashi-Dayi-Yashe-Gidan Mutum Daya Section III.

President Tinubu is expected to observe the Eid-el-Kabir prayers at the State House, Dodan Barracks, before returning to Abuja.