A trophy was commissioned by President Gnassingbé Eyadéma of Togo in 1974 with a view to establishing a regional competition similar to the Africa Cup of Nations tournament.

The West African Nations Cup (Zone 3) commenced in 1982 on an annual basis (not in 1985), and was played until 1987.

The West African Nations Cup returned in 2002 as the WAFU Nations Cup, however, officially it was not considered simply as a continuation of the old tournament, and therefore it is a new tournament.

The 2002 edition was short-lived after violence broke out in Ivory Coast.

Finally, after an eight-year wait, the tournament returned in April 2010 which Nigeria's Ogun State hosted and the host nation won.