KEY POINTS

• Ghana’s Mahama briefed Tinubu on mediation efforts with Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, stressing “continued dialogue” to resolve the ECOWAS-AES rift amid Sahel security crises.
• Talks addressed joint counterterrorism strategies and economic cooperation, though disagreements persist over sanctions and France’s military presence in the region.
• The meeting reinforced Tinubu-Mahama diplomatic coordination, building on their December 2024 discussions, as West Africa grapples with jihadist threats and political instability.

President Bola Tinubu welcomed Ghanaian President John Mahama to Abuja’s State House on Thursday in a high-stakes meeting focused on resolving West Africa’s escalating security and political crises.

According to Channelstv, the visit, Mahama’s first official engagement in Nigeria since his January 2025 inauguration, underscored urgent regional efforts to bridge divides between ECOWAS and the military juntas of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

“I came to brief President Tinubu on my visits to the Sahelian countries and discuss concerns raised there,” Mahama told press after the closed-door talks. “It’s a complicated situation, but continued dialogue remains our best path forward.” The Ghanaian leader has emerged as a key mediator since the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) withdrew from ECOWAS in January, citing foreign interference and inadequate support against jihadist violence.

A region at a crossroads

The talks come amid rising tensions: over 2,000 fatalities from Sahel conflicts were recorded in Q1 2025 alone, with jihadist groups exploiting governance vacuums. Mahama’s shuttle diplomacy follows Tinubu’s December 2024 pre-inauguration visit to Accra, signaling a coordinated approach.

Tinubu, who chairs ECOWAS, emphasized the economic stakes: “We must ensure security of lives and prosperity for our citizens,” he stated, hinting at potential concessions to reintegrate the AES bloc. Sources reveal draft proposals include joint counterterrorism funding and relaxed sanctions in exchange for democratic commitments.

Critics, however, warn of legitimizing military rule. “ECOWAS risks rewarding coups if it backtracks on principle,” cautioned Dakar-based analyst Aïssatou Diallo. Meanwhile, Niger’s junta reportedly demands withdrawal of French troops as a precondition for talks—a sticking point that may test Mahama’s mediation.