Can Bio Succeed Where Tinubu Struggled?

President Bola Tinubu on Sunday, officially handed over the leadership of ECOWAS to Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio, entrusting him with the reins of a regional bloc facing mounting challenges, including jihadist insurgencies, a wave of military coups, and a growing loss of member state support.

The leadership transition was confirmed at the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government Summit held in Abuja, Nigeria, where leaders gathered to review security, political, and economic developments in the region.

Bio replaces Nigeria’s president in the rotating leadership, Tinubu, whose two-term tenure was marked by significant regional turbulence and efforts to preserve democratic governance within the bloc.

President Tinubu, who assumed the chairmanship in July 2023 and was renewed for a second term in 2024, formally handed over the mantle of leadership to President Bio at the close of the summit.

Who is Julius Maada Bio?

 Former military officer and Sierra Leone’s fifth President since April 4, 2018, Julius Maada Bio first rose to national prominence in 1996 as military Head of State, overseeing the transition to democratic rule.

Following that year’s presidential election, he peacefully handed power to the newly elected President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP).

After retiring from the army in 1996, Bio relocated to the United States, where he was granted political asylum. He remained abroad for nearly a decade and did not return to Sierra Leone until 2005.

He re-entered national politics in 2012 as the SLPP’s presidential candidate but was defeated by the incumbent, Ernest Bai Koroma of the All People’s Congress (APC). Bio ran again in the 2018 presidential election and won, defeating APC candidate Samura Kamara in a closely contested vote.

As president, Bio has reversed many of the policies implemented by his predecessor, whom he has publicly accused of corruption and mismanagement of state resources. His administration has focused on educational reforms—introducing free public primary and secondary schooling—and on human rights, notably repealing the death penalty.

In September 2023, a deadly coup attempt aimed at toppling Bio’s government was thwarted, reinforcing the fragile but ongoing struggle to maintain democratic stability in Sierra Leone.

  ECOWAS in 2025

Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio takes over as chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at a time of historic turbulence. With the region facing compounding threats. From expanding terrorism and organised crime to the breakdown of democratic governance, ECOWAS is at a dangerous crossroads after a tumultuous tenure by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose year as ECOWAS chair was marked by severe political instability, failed diplomatic efforts, and the splintering of the organisation’s unity.

Over the past decade, nearly half of ECOWAS’s member states have experienced military coups or attempted takeovers. Most notably, three Sahel nations; Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, formally withdrew from the bloc in January, forming their own Alliance of Sahel States (AES). Their departure has inflicted a deep blow on regional cohesion, undermining ECOWAS’s position as the continent’s premier force for political and economic integration.

Despite initial promises to stabilizestabilise their countries, the AES juntas have made little progress in countering the jihadist insurgencies ravaging the Sahel. The threat is now rapidly encroaching upon coastal West African countries, including Togo, Benin, and Nigeria, which have recently witnessed a troubling spike in attacks on both civilians and military personnel.

President Tinubu’s leadership was characterised by strong rhetoric and firm action, particularly in the face of unconstitutional changes of power. Under his direction, ECOWAS imposed sanctions, almost went to war against Niger Republic and spearheaded mediation efforts aimed at restoring civilian rule in member states taken over by military regimes.

However, his approach faced internal resistance and limited results. The bloc’s inability to reverse the coups or prevent further breakaways highlighted its diminishing influence. The January 2025 exit of the Sahel trio marked the lowest point of Tinubu’s tenure, exposing the limits of ECOWAS’ diplomatic reach and highlighting its fading authority in regional affairs.

The Great Task Ahead of Bio

President Bio is now steering the bloc, and the stakes have never been higher. ECOWAS must contend with a credibility crisis, fragmented membership, and growing disillusionment among West African citizens who feel increasingly abandoned by both governments and regional institutions.

Restoring trust, both among member states and with the general public, will be a central task of Bio’s chairmanship. He must also navigate the delicate question of reintegration; whether Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger can be brought back into the fold, and under what conditions.

Despite these ominous signs, Bio struck a hopeful tone. “The democratic space is under strain in parts of our region—the constitutional order has been disrupted,” he acknowledged, while calling for “decisive action” to halt the slide into authoritarianism and insecurity.

Whether his chairmanship will mark a turning point or a further descent into regional disarray remains uncertain. What is clear is that the road ahead for ECOWAS is steep, and the world is looking at Bio to walk the talk.