The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a 15-nation regional bloc, has reaffirmed its intention to launch a single currency called the ECO by 2027, following a heads-of-state summit in Sierra Leone. The bloc is leaning toward a phased rollout in which only countries meeting key economic benchmarks — including targets on inflation, debt, and monetary stability — would join at the outset, leaving unresolved whether members of the CFA franc zone would be included from the start. Critical questions about the bloc's future central bank, governance rules, and founding membership remain under negotiation, with a key task force meeting expected ahead of the December 2026 summit.