Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu has been re-elected as the chairperson of the West African regional bloc, ECOWAS.

Tinubu, 72, was re-elected during ECOWAS heads of state meeting in Nigeria's capital Abuja on Sunday.

The Nigerian leader retains the seat despite some French-speaking member countries reportedly opposing his re-election.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) faces major challenges, including the exits of three member states – Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger – as well as financing problem.

Insecurity

Insecurity in a number of member nations have prompted ECOWAS to consider setting up a regional force that would be committed to tackling the perennial problem of insurgency, which has claimed the lives of thousands of people.

The bloc has a total population of 425 million people, but with the exits of the three breakaway countries, the regional body would lose a combined pool of about 72 million people.

The chairperson of ECOWAS is appointed by other heads of state and government to oversee the bloc's affairs for a period of one year.

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