China hands over $56.5m ECOWAS headquarters in Abuja

Abuja, Nigeria – China has formally handed over a newly completed headquarters complex to the Economic Community of West African States in Abuja, Nigeria, in what officials on both sides described as a historic moment in their three-decade relationship.

The facility, funded by the Chinese government at a cost of 368 million RMB, equivalent to $56.57 million, was delivered at a handover ceremony attended by senior regional and Nigerian officials. Construction began in November 2021 and was completed in December 2025, just over two years after the groundbreaking ceremony held in October 2023.

China’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, called the moment a turning point in China-ECOWAS relations.

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“I think this is going to be the historical moment in the history of the friendly cooperation between China and ECOWAS. This is a great milestone. The China-ECOWAS relationship started roughly three decades ago. And this relationship is based on the principle of mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit, and win-win cooperation. Over the years, China and ECOWAS have continuously deepened our political mutual trust, strengthened our practical cooperation, enhanced our cooperation in peace and stability in the region, and also promoted people-to-people exchanges,” he said.

Dunhai described the complex, which he called the “Eye of West Africa,” as a modern, intelligent and multifunctional facility built to strengthen the operational capacity of the ECOWAS Commission and support regional integration efforts.

He pushed back against suggestions that China’s engagement in Africa carries hidden conditions.

“We always respect the sovereignty and autonomy of African countries. We follow the principle of non-interference and no political conditions attached, and also a rejection of the promise-only approach,” he said.

The ambassador also spoke about the strength of China’s relationship with Nigeria specifically, pointing to President Bola Tinubu’s 2024 state visit to China as a catalyst for accelerated cooperation. He cited joint projects including the Lekki Deep Sea Port, railways and airports, as well as growing collaboration in the digital economy and agriculture. He noted that Chinese technology firm Huawei has trained thousands of Nigerians in technology skills.

“We hold the China-Nigeria relationship in the highest regard because Nigeria is the most populous country on this continent and is a leading player not only in this region but globally,” Dunhai said.

ECOWAS Commission President Omar Alieu Touray accepted the facility on behalf of member states and said the complex was completed with engineers and technical staff from both sides working around the clock to meet deadlines.

Touray said stronger ties with China open significant economic doors for West African countries, particularly through expanded market access for agricultural products.

“It will raise the level of production because we all know, for example, if you go to some of our countries now, you will find mangoes just dropping and rotting off because there is no outlet for them. But if you have the capacity to harvest those mangoes and send them duty-free all the way to China, certainly this will enhance your productivity and, of course, it will create employment,” he said.

He added that economic growth from such opportunities could help tackle insecurity across the region by keeping young people productively engaged.

On the new headquarters itself, Touray called for it to be properly maintained.

“As you may recall, back in October 2023, we convened here for the groundbreaking ceremony of this complex, for which the Government of China provided a total of 368 million RMB equivalent to USD56.57 million to build. Today, two years after that initiation, we are gathered for the handover ceremony of this remarkable building. Its role can only be indirect in the sense that it provides a good working space for the bureaucracy that is supposed to help implement decisions on regional integration. We have no reason, no right whatsoever, to neglect a structure of this nature,” he said.

Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, said the building represents far more than office space.

“This new Headquarters, therefore, symbolises more than administrative convenience. It is a strategic asset that will enhance institutional effectiveness, deepen collaboration among Member States, and reinforce the capacity of the Commission to respond to emerging regional and global challenges,” she said.

The complex, nicknamed the “Eye of West Africa,” sits on 70,186 square metres, with a total floor area of 36,606 square metres. It includes office buildings, a conference centre and supporting infrastructure covering parking, internal roads and utility systems. The facility is equipped with smart systems and solar-powered infrastructure in line with international standards for modern administrative complexes.

The facility is expected to be formally inaugurated later in the year by Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio, who currently chairs the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, alongside Nigeria’s President Tinubu and other regional leaders.