President Bola Tinubu on Thursday participated in an extraordinary virtual summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as regional leaders moved to address the unfolding political crisis in Guinea-Bissau following a military takeover.
The emergency meeting, held via Zoom, brought together Heads of State and Government in a swift diplomatic response to the coup, which saw soldiers arrest President Umaro Sissoco Embaló on Wednesday and dissolve the elected government.
Guinea-Bissau’s military junta has since named General Horta Nta Na Man as leader of a one-year transitional government, further deepening concerns about democratic backsliding in the region.
President Tinubu, who served two consecutive terms as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government before handing over to Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio in June 2025, joined other leaders in deliberations aimed at restoring constitutional order.
ECOWAS has struggled in recent years with a resurgence of military coups across West Africa. Thursday’s emergency summit underscored the bloc’s renewed determination to stem instability and uphold democratic governance amid yet another political upheaval in the region.