Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, has cautioned West African nations against continued economic reliance on former colonial powers.
Speaking in Abuja on Thursday, June, 19, at the opening of the 94th ordinary session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, Tuggar urged countries in the region to deepen integration and take full control of their economic future.
“For newly independent African countries, if you stay alone and isolated from your neighbours, you remain dependent on the former colonial master, forever consigning yourself to being an exporter of agricultural cash crops and raw materials to the metropolis,” he said.
He stressed the need for collaboration, joint infrastructure development, and open trade within the region.
“Conversely, if you trade freely with your neighbours, develop infrastructure jointly to strengthen that trade, you develop indigenous industries, collective self-reliance, and take control of your destinies,” Tuggar added.
He reminded delegates that ECOWAS was born out of a desire for economic decolonisation and not simply as a bureaucratic creation. Tuggar urged member states to return to this original vision.
“I invite us all to approach our discussions with an ethos of collegiality, compromise, and flexibility with a broader vision for a strong, united, and resilient Regional Economic Community.
“This session should be defined not only by the depth of our deliberations but also by the courage of our decisions,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, laid out key items on the agenda, from trade liberalisation to institutional reform.
He highlighted the issue of non-tariff barriers as a persistent challenge. “Despite numerous initiatives, including the Presidential Task Force on the Trade Liberalisation Scheme, the problem persists,” Touray said.
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Recalling a recent road trip, he added, “In May, I travelled by road from Lagos to Cotonou to see the situation along the regional corridor and the joint border post established at the Seme/Krake border between Nigeria and Benin.
“I saw firsthand the challenges posed by non-tariff barriers along the corridor. We must do everything to put an end to this and facilitate economic exchange across the region.”
Touray also presented proposals from the recent joint meeting of ECOWAS Ministers of Trade and Industry, including the adoption of a regional Trade and Investment Promotion Strategy and ratification of the WTO Fisheries Subsidy Agreement and the African Continental Free Trade Area.
He urged member states to take immediate action. “The ministers have considered the Cooperation Agreement between ERCA and member states… and requested member states to take necessary measures for its signature by the end of June 2025,” he said.
On foreign partnerships, he said discussions continued over the West Africa–European Union Economic Partnership Agreement and recent US tariff policies.
“The ministers recommended further national consultation with key stakeholders, in particular the private sector, to propose a way forward,” Touray added.
On security, Touray announced that ECOWAS had reached a mutual understanding with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to combat terrorism and violent extremism.
“We have secured an understanding with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger on the need to work together to build confidence to collectively confront terrorism and violent extremism,” he said.
He also confirmed that talks with Guinea on a political transition had resumed.
“With Guinea, discussions have resumed on political transition, and we are working to create the right environment for the people of Guinea to determine the political future of their country,” Touray said.