The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has projected that Nigeria could emerge as the world’s fifth richest country within the next 50 years if current economic reforms and regional trade integration continue to gain momentum.

The projection was unveiled during the ECOWAS Parliamentary Session held in Abuja in 2026, where officials highlighted the growing economic potential of West Africa amid increasing intra-regional cooperation.

Speaking at the session, ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Dr Kalilou Sylla, said the region is witnessing a major economic transformation that could significantly alter the global economic landscape in the coming decades.

According to Sylla, Nigeria’s long-term economic growth will depend less on traditional Western markets and more on strengthening trade and economic ties within West Africa and the broader African continent.

“It is not the American or English markets that will let the Nigerian market grow, but the sub-regional markets,” Sylla told lawmakers during the session.

He also projected that Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire could rank among the world’s top 15 economies within the next 25 years, adding that Côte d’Ivoire could eventually surpass France economically.

Sylla noted that regional institutions have struggled to match the pace of economic cooperation already taking place among businesses and citizens across West Africa.

ECOWAS officials cited rising intra-regional trade as evidence that deeper economic integration is steadily advancing despite political instability, border tensions, and currency-related challenges in parts of the region.

According to the commissioner, trade within the ECOWAS bloc has doubled to 40 percent over the past four years, underscoring the growing importance of regional markets in driving economic growth across West Africa.