FIFTY years after its historic founding in Lagos, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) finds itself in a precarious position. What was once a model of African regionalism is now grappling with a widening internal rupture that threatens the unity it was built to protect.
The bloc, born on May 28, 1975 through the signing of the Lagos Treaty by 15 West African nations, set out to dismantle barriers to trade and free movement. Inspired by leaders like Togo’s Gnassingbé Eyadéma and Nigeria’s Yakubu Gowon, ECOWAS stood as a continental beacon of cooperation, with Liberia’s William Tubman as its inaugural chair.
Its early milestones included the lifting of cross-border ID checks in 1990 and the promotion of a shared economic and political identity. But today, those gains face their most serious challenge to date.
Sahel exit redefines the regional order
In 2024, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger — all under military rule — withdrew from ECOWAS, accusing the bloc of overreach and aligning themselves instead under a new framework: the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). The trio abandoned long-standing security partnerships with the West in favour of closer military ties with Russia, signalling a fundamental shift in regional allegiances.
Their departure wasn’t just political — it represented a full-scale rejection of ECOWAS’s central values, including its emphasis on democratic governance and economic liberalisation.
Tariff on ECOWAS goods fuels tensions
The situation escalated further when the AES bloc imposed a 0.5 percent import duty on goods from ECOWAS countries, directly challenging the bloc’s founding principle of free trade.
Though ECOWAS has since issued transitional guidelines allowing limited trade and visa-free movement with the breakaway states, the import levy has heightened concerns about growing fragmentation within the region.
Experts say the tariff could mark the start of parallel economic systems in West Africa, weakening collective bargaining power and undermining decades of integration efforts.
Accra summit confronts uncertain future
This week, ECOWAS heads of state are meeting in Accra to chart the way forward. The summit aims to clarify the bloc’s policy stance on the Sahel withdrawal, finalise transitional arrangements, and determine whether diplomatic re-engagement with the AES remains viable.
‘This isn’t just a celebration — it’s a moment of reckoning,’ said a senior West African diplomat familiar with the talks. ‘We must decide whether ECOWAS can adapt to a fractured political landscape or risk becoming obsolete.’
Legacy at stake
Despite current challenges, ECOWAS still boasts achievements few African regional blocs can match — a functioning regional passport, joint peacekeeping interventions, and a mostly borderless trade area.
Yet the 50th anniversary has laid bare the fragility beneath these accomplishments. The alliance that once represented a collective leap forward now stands at a crossroads — where its future may depend on its willingness to evolve.
As the Accra discussions unfold, the broader question lingers: can ECOWAS reinvent itself while holding onto the ideals that defined its birth in Lagos half a century ago?
