ECOWAS Commission Welcomes New Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Dr. Kalilou Sylla

By Joylinda Laryea / 12 October 2025

The ECOWAS Commission has officially welcomed Dr. Kalilou Sylla as its new Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture following his swearing-in on Thursday, October 9, 2025, in Abuja, Nigeria.

The oath-taking ceremony was presided over by the President of the Community Court of Justice, Hon. Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves, and witnessed by members of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, who were in Abuja for an extraordinary session focused on institutional matters.

Dr Sylla, an Ivorian national, succeeds Ms Massandjé Touré-Litsé and will serve in the position until July 2026.

A distinguished economist with a doctorate in the field, Dr. Sylla brings decades of expertise in economic and monetary policy, regional integration programmes, agricultural policy management, strategic planning, and development project coordination. Before his appointment, he served as Director General of Foreign Trade at Côte d’Ivoire’s Ministry of Trade and Industry.

His career spans leadership roles across public administration, trade, and development finance, with a specialised focus on project financing in agriculture, industry, and commerce across both public and private sectors, as well as civil society. He is also recognised for his academic contributions on regional integration, economic governance, and agricultural value chain analysis.

In his new role, Dr Sylla is expected to drive ECOWAS initiatives aimed at strengthening economic cooperation, boosting agricultural productivity, and accelerating regional development across West Africa.

His appointment comes at a critical time as the region intensifies efforts toward food security, intra-regional trade expansion, and sustainable economic transformation.