Lawmakers warn West Africa’s $400bn market potential is at risk over failure to implement trade protocols
By Danjuma AMODU
COTONOU – The ECOWAS Parliament has backed the introduction of sanctions against member states that fail to implement regional trade agreements, warning that persistent violations are undermining West Africa’s ambition of becoming a fully integrated market.
Lawmakers said the inability of member countries to enforce existing agreements on the free movement of people, goods and services has weakened regional trade, increased the cost of doing business, and prevented millions of small and medium-sized enterprises from benefiting from the ECOWAS market.
The position emerged at a delocalised meeting of the Parliament’s Joint Committee on Industry and Private Sector, Macroeconomic Policy and Economic Research, Administration, Finance and Budget, and Public Accounts held in Cotonou, Republic of Benin.
The meeting brought together lawmakers and stakeholders to examine ways of strengthening private sector participation, expanding regional commerce and addressing challenges affecting cross-border trade.
The push for sanctions was first raised by Dr. Tony Elumelu of the ECOWAS Business Council Secretariat, who argued that stronger enforcement measures were needed to compel member states to respect regional commitments.
Supporting the proposal, Nigerian lawmaker, Hon. Bashiru Dawodu, said West Africa could no longer afford to operate as isolated economies despite its huge population and economic potential.
“We are about 400 million people in West Africa generating billions of dollars, but our challenge is that we are not integrated. We are all in silos… If countries know that they have sanctions, I think they would do better.”
– Hon. Bashiru Dawodu, Nigerian Lawmaker
Dawodu noted that ECOWAS, with a population of about 400 million people, had failed to maximise its advantages because countries continue to pursue policies that restrict regional cooperation.
He stressed that effective implementation of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme, ETLS, and other protocols remained critical to achieving economic transformation and empowering businesses across the sub-region.
Established in 1975, ECOWAS was created to promote economic cooperation and integration. The bloc has introduced protocols on free movement, right of residence and establishment, and trade liberalisation aimed at creating a common regional market.
However, decades later, businesses and citizens still face challenges at borders including multiple checkpoints, delays, unofficial payments and inconsistent application of agreements. Experts say these issues have limited intra-regional trade, which remains far below its potential.
Dawodu also raised concerns over the dominance of the informal sector, saying about 90 per cent of people in ECOWAS countries are in small and medium-scale businesses that remain disconnected from formal financial systems and regional value chains.
“It is extremely important to integrate the small and medium businesses into the value chain,” he said. “We need better integration of goods and services, adequate financing for small-scale businesses and improved infrastructure.”
Also speaking, Liberian parliamentarian, Hon. Taa Wongbe, called for renewed political commitment to enforce agreements. He expressed disappointment that traders still experience the same border difficulties that existed decades ago.
“Unfortunately, after all of these years, we are still experiencing the same challenges,” Wongbe said. He urged the ECOWAS Parliament to set up a committee to visit border communities to experience firsthand the difficulties faced by citizens and traders.
“One of the things I have been pushing is that we should form a committee to experience the same thing the people are experiencing. When we experience it, then we can go and pressure our governments to remove some of those roadblocks,” he said.
He warned that continued restrictions along trade routes were contributing to high prices of goods and worsening economic hardship.
From Liberia to Ghana, traders have repeatedly complained about delays, multiple taxation and administrative bottlenecks that increase transportation costs.
The renewed call comes as governments across the region grapple with unemployment, poverty, food insecurity and insecurity — challenges analysts say require stronger regional economic cooperation.
Stakeholders believe a truly integrated West Africa, where businesses and citizens can move freely, could create millions of jobs and accelerate growth. But achieving that may depend on whether ECOWAS leaders move from commitments to enforcement.
