The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has expressed deep concern over escalating hostilities in the Gulf region, warning that a prolonged conflict could unleash far-reaching economic and security consequences for West Africa and the broader African continent.
In a statement issued under the chairmanship of Sierra Leone’s President, Julius Maada Bio, the 12-member regional bloc aligned itself with the position of the African Union Commission, which has also voiced unease over intensifying military exchanges.
ECOWAS noted that the Gulf remains central to global oil and gas supplies, accounting for a significant share of international crude exports. For West African economies — many of which export crude oil but depend on imported refined petroleum products — volatility in global energy markets could rapidly translate into domestic inflation, currency pressures and rising transport and food costs.
The bloc further highlighted the Gulf’s strategic role in global trade, pointing to key maritime corridors linked to the Strait of Hormuz that facilitate the movement of energy supplies and commercial goods between Asia, Europe and Africa. Any disruption to these routes, it warned, risks compounding supply chain fragilities that have persisted since the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Food-import-dependent countries in West Africa face particular vulnerability. Many rely heavily on imported wheat, fertiliser and other agricultural inputs sourced through global supply chains sensitive to geopolitical shocks. Previous international crises have demonstrated how quickly distant conflicts can trigger price spikes and worsen food insecurity across the region.
ECOWAS urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint and adhere strictly to international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter, including respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and the peaceful settlement of disputes. It stressed that civilian lives and critical infrastructure must be protected at all times.
The regional bloc also called for renewed diplomatic engagement within established international and regional frameworks, maintaining that dialogue remains the only sustainable path to de-escalation.
Analysts observe that ECOWAS’ swift alignment with the African Union reflects broader concern about the cumulative impact of global instability on African economies already grappling with high debt burdens, currency depreciation and climate-related pressures. Rising energy prices could strain public finances, while shipping disruptions may intensify shortages of essential commodities.
As tensions mount in the Gulf, ECOWAS signalled that West Africa is closely monitoring developments and urging diplomacy over escalation in the interest of regional and global stability.
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Electoral Act 2026: Nigerians Identify Hopes, Gaps At Citizens’ Townhall
The national debate over the Electoral Act 2026, recently signed into law, continued on Sunday, with Nigerians expressing divergent views over the new legislation that will serve as a legal guide for the conduct of the 2027 general elections.
The issues identified in the new law took centre stage during a Citizens’ Townhall, an event broadcast live on Channels Television.
The programme, themed “Electoral Act 2026: What it means for your vote and the 2027 elections?”, provided a platform for Nigerians to ask critical questions about the thorny issues in the new Act, including the contentious debate over electronic result transmission.
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, used the forum to address the technical concerns facing the Commission.
A combo of Amupitan and the event
Identifying network inadequacy as a primary challenge, he emphasised that the quality of an election is inherently linked to logistical capacity.
“I don’t see the issue of transmission as a problem; the problem is not the network but the adequacy of the networks we have,” he said.
While acknowledging that Nigeria might not achieve “100 per cent perfect elections for now,” Amupitan assured the public that the Commission is striving to deliver the best possible outcome.
He further declared that technical glitches would not derail the 2027 polls.
“The glitch is eliminated; by God’s grace, it will not surface in Nigeria,” he added.
To bolster this confidence, he disclosed that INEC would conduct a mock presidential election to stress-test the transmission architecture.
“One of the things we are trying to do before the election is to have a mock presidential election so that we are sure that this transmission across the states must not fail,” Amupitan added.
Yiage Faults NASS
However, the Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, remained critical of the National Assembly’s decision to make manual transmission an option.
He argued that electronic transmission must be the sole, real-time method for results to ensure credibility.
Itodo further warned that the recently announced compressed election timetable places immense pressure on the Commission.
“And as we approach 2027, the credibility of that election will not just be determined on election day. It will be determined by a few things: the quality of preparations, the transparency of resource management, the professionalism of election officials, how political actors restrain themselves, but more importantly, the independence and the integrity of our security agencies and the judiciary.
“And lastly, the vigilance of citizens is what will determine the credibility of the next elections, because democracy is not self-executing. It requires guardians, and the citizens of this great country are the guardians that we need.”
‘Gaps, Loopholes’
Former INEC National Commissioner, Okechukwu Ibeanu, reinforced the need for systemic commitment over legislative tinkering.
“I think there are still gaps and loopholes in the law, and it’s unfortunate that it took us debating about a proviso for the country to come to a consensus that electronic transmission was actually in the 2022 act.
“But what we have done is actually to take us far back to 2018… We consistently tinker with the electoral legal framework as if that holds all the answers to our electoral problems,” Ibeanu cautioned.
“Citizens, this is about you. It is not about politicians; it is not about INEC. Except citizens are in a position to protect their votes and control those who ostensibly represent them, our dream of a truly democratic country will remain an illusion,” he added.
Chidi Nwafor, who is a former director of information and communication technology at INEC, said security agencies and the judiciary play a crucial role in maintaining the sanctity of elections in Nigeria.
He also urged INEC to assess sections 50 and 70 of the Electoral Act.
Lawmakers Disagree
The chairman of the bipartisan conference committee on the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill to harmonise differences between versions passed by both chambers of the National Assembly, Adebayo Balogun, stated that Form EC8A remains the primary source of collation of results.
But the member representing Anambra Central at the National Assembly, Senator Victor Umeh, described the INEC Result Viewing portal, IREV, as the game-changer.
He noted that the inclusion of a proviso that allows the presiding officer to use the Form EC8A remains a challenge, adding that the electronic transmission of the Form EC8A to the IREV was to forestall manipulation.
“Who is the judge when there is a network failure? Is it the electoral officer?” he queried.
For the Head of ICT at the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Oluwadara Oluwalana, Nigeria has the capacity to try out technology in the 2027 polls, with the collaboration of operators.
“Yes, I believe telecom operators can come together and make it work. I think we have the capacity now,” he submitted during the panel discussion.
‘Defections To APC Fair’
Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, said the Electoral Act did not confer any advantage to the ruling party.
Asked whether it was fair that the APC allowed politicians who won elections on the platform of opposition parties to defect to the ruling party, Yilwatda said, “Very fair, very fair because you will discover that many of those political parties are already dying.
“They saw a reason to join us because of how we operate as a party—from party management to organization and mobilization,” Yilwatda said at the event.
“APC seems to be the best party in terms of mobilization, organization, and governance. That provides a leeway for competition. When I go to the market, I have a choice to make: a choice between good governance, good party management, and a transparent system,” he added.
However, a chieftain of the African Democratic Party, Sam Amadi, said the submission of the INEC chairman of the commission’s preparedness for the general elections does not inspire confidence.
Among those who attended the event are serving and former members of the National Assembly, representatives of security agencies, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders in the electoral process.
A former Country Director of ActionAid, Ene Obi, faulted the campaign spending guideline set out in the Act, expressing worry over how this can prevent Nigerians with less financial capacity to vie for public offices.
“Another thing to look out for is the source of whatever money they are talking about,” she added.
New Law
Nigeria recently updated its electoral system after President Bola Tinubu signed the Electoral Act 2026 into law on February 18, 2026, after weeks of heated debate, replacing the 2022 legislation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Key provisions of the new law include the mandatory electronic transmission of results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal, recognition of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), new timelines for election notices and candidate nominations, revised methods for party primaries, and earlier release of funding for the electoral commission.
While Tinubu explained that the amendment aims to strengthen transparency, opposition parties and civil society organisations slammed aspects of the law, arguing that certain discretionary powers granted to electoral officials during technical failures could affect the credibility of the election.
The Commission had earlier fixed Saturday, February 20, 2027, for the presidential and National Assembly elections and Saturday, March 6, 2027, for the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections.
Following the repeal of the Electoral Act, 2022, and the enactment of the Electoral Act, 2026, the presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on January 16, 2027, while the governorship and state houses of assembly elections will hold on February 6, 2027.
