Mahama made the remarks while speaking at the African Heritage Awards 2026 in Accra, where he highlighted the deep historical, cultural and economic ties between Ghana and Nigeria, referring to both countries as “twins of the same mother.”
“Nigeria is of keen security interest to us,” he said. “If Nigeria does well, Ghana does well. When you have cousins, 250 million of them, you want them to do well so that one million of them don’t come drifting towards a small country like Ghana. So every day I wake up, I pray for Nigeria, I say God let Nigeria get their act together.”
The comments underscore concerns about the potential regional impact of instability in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation.
Mahama noted that Nigeria’s size and influence make its economic and security situation a matter of importance beyond its borders, particularly for neighbouring countries such as Ghana.
Nigeria, with a population estimated at over 250 million people, plays a central role in West Africa’s economy and regional security framework, including within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Both Ghana and Nigeria have in recent years faced economic pressures and security challenges, while continuing to cooperate on regional stability and integration efforts.
Mahama’s remarks add to ongoing discussions about the interconnected nature of West African economies and the broader implications of Nigeria’s domestic challenges for the subregion.
