Emmanuel Olawale, Nigeria’s permanent representative to Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has called on member states to create favourable conditions for the regional bloc’s programmes and projects to succeed.
Gatekeepers News reports that Olawale made the call at the public presentation of In Solidarity with ECOWAS, a book written by Bishir Dauda Katsina, executive director of Citizens Participation Against Corruption Initiative (CPAC-I), in Abuja.
Represented by Joseph Igwe, Olawale highlighted ECOWAS initiatives aimed at strengthening cooperation and integration among West African countries.
He cited the ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, Residence and Establishment, which allows citizens of member states to travel, reside and establish themselves within the region.
He also mentioned regional infrastructure projects, including the Lagos-Abidjan corridor, which connects Nigeria, Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.
Olawale said language differences, border activities and currency disparities remained among the challenges affecting deeper regional integration.
He called for French to be taught in English-speaking West African countries and English in French-speaking states to improve communication and strengthen integration.
“We urge our national governments to provide conditions favourable for the ECOWAS programmes, activities and projects to thrive in our countries,” he said.
He also said ECOWAS was working towards a single regional currency, the ECO.
Julius Sandy, Sierra Leone’s high commissioner to Nigeria and permanent representative to ECOWAS, said freedom of movement and trade across West Africa had become important to the region’s development.
Sandy identified financial constraints, high travel costs, political instability, border disputes and insurgency as challenges to regional integration. He said ECOWAS was reportedly owed about $870 million in outstanding Community Levy payments from member states.
He called for digitalised and modern border management, stronger regional security institutions, democratic consolidation, people-to-people diplomacy and greater citizen participation.
The author, Katsina, said the book was inspired by his 2025 journey through 10 West African countries to commemorate ECOWAS’ 50th anniversary. He said the journey examined the bloc’s impact on peace, security, democracy and economic integration.
ECOWAS’ stated vision includes a borderless West Africa with free movement of people, goods, services and capital, while its current membership comprises 12 countries following the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger in January 2025.
