West African leaders recently convened in Abuja for the West Africa Economic Summit, where Nigeria advocated for the removal of trade and travel barriers across the sub-region. The focus was on revitalising the original ECOWAS vision—free movement of people, goods, and services, and the use of a common currency to drive economic integration.
President Bola Tinubu called for urgent investments in infrastructure and regional supply chains, stressing that intra-regional trade remains under 10%. He highlighted the need for coordinated policies and value-added manufacturing instead of exporting raw materials.
Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar noted that although West Africa exported over $166 billion in 2024, only 8.6% stayed within the region. He emphasized integrating informal trade into formal channels to boost scale and efficiency.
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Key concerns include poor transport infrastructure, restrictive aviation policies, and lack of digital identity systems. Calls were made for faster adoption of the African Union's Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) to improve air connectivity and trade.
Experts agreed that harmonised digital identities, liberalised airspace, and reduced visa restrictions are vital for cross-border commerce. Nigeria's NIN system and Ghana's digital ID were noted as progress, while other countries still face gaps that hinder integration.
The summit renewed hope in ECOWAS' economic goals, stressing regional collaboration, private-sector-led growth, and improved ease of doing business to lift millions out of poverty and accelerate prosperity across West Africa.
