The ECOWAS Parliament has urged member states to fully leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to accelerate regional integration and expand intra-community trade.
Speaker of the Parliament, Mémounatou Ibrahima, made the call on Monday in Abuja while declaring open the Parliament’s 2026 First Extraordinary Session and Seminar. The seminar, themed “Deepening Regional Integration through the AfCFTA: Opportunities and Challenges for Expanding Intra-Community Trade,” marks the beginning of the regional legislature’s activities for the year.
Ibrahima described AfCFTA, now in its operational phase, as a historic opportunity to transform West Africa into an integrated, prosperous and resilient economic bloc. She, however, stressed that its success depends on collective ownership by governments, parliamentarians, the private sector, civil society, women, youth and development partners.
According to her, regional lawmakers must play a decisive role by harmonising legal frameworks, dismantling non-tariff barriers, facilitating free movement and ensuring prudent oversight of community resources. She emphasised that integration must remain inclusive, equitable and socially progressive.
“With nearly fifty years of integration experience, ECOWAS cannot merely accompany this process; it must lead, coordinate and harmonise it,” she said, noting that the region hosts the AfCFTA Secretariat.
The Speaker identified key strengths the bloc should build on, including its average growth rate of about five per cent, harmonised macroeconomic frameworks, the Common External Tariff and its longstanding trade liberalisation regime. She also highlighted innovative instruments such as the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) and the ECOWAS Brown Card Scheme as strategic tools to ease cross-border transactions.
However, she pointed to structural weaknesses, including low intra-regional trade estimated at 10 per cent, a weak industrial base and continued dependence on raw material exports with minimal value addition. She added that some member states are yet to ratify the AfCFTA agreement or articulate clear national implementation strategies, slowing coordinated action.
In a goodwill message, Nigeria’s Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said deeper regional integration is essential for West Africa to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving global economy. Represented by Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, Akpabio described AfCFTA as a modern revival of Africa’s historic cross-border trade networks.
He warned that fragmentation could marginalise the region, urging member states to pursue economic unity alongside political cooperation to secure markets, defend democratic governance and safeguard prosperity.
Akpabio also called for practical implementation of AfCFTA commitments through harmonised standards, efficient port systems, transparent customs procedures and digital trade infrastructure. He added that insecurity and political instability remain major obstacles, stressing that economic integration and political stability must advance together for sustainable regional growth.
