Michael Olugbode in Abuja
Nigeria’s Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and President of the ECOWAS Parliament, Mémounatou Ibrahima, have jointly framed regional integration as West Africa’s most urgent strategic imperative.
Similarly, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Amb. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu urged West African states to accelerate regional economic integration and strengthen institutional cooperation to address emerging political, economic, and security challenges across the sub-region.
They warned that fragmentation in a competitive global order would deepen economic vulnerability and political instability.
They spoke at the Sixth Legislature’s Parliamentary Seminar and First Extraordinary Session for 2026 in Abuja.
Akpabio described the moment as decisive, arguing that in a world increasingly shaped by hardened trade blocs and geopolitical rivalry, isolated economies risk marginalisation.
According to him, West Africa must act collectively if it intends to negotiate global markets from a position of strength rather than dependence.
“The lesson of history is unmistakable: regions that cooperate endure; those that fragment decline,” he said.
Echoing that position, Ibrahima stressed that with nearly five decades of integration experience, ECOWAS must not simply accompany continental reforms but lead and coordinate them effectively.
She reminded lawmakers that over 400 million citizens look to the Parliament for tangible improvements in trade, security and democratic governance.
Central to both addresses was the operationalisation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which they described as a transformative instrument capable of reshaping the region’s economic architecture.
Akpabio warned that if goods cannot move seamlessly across borders — from Lagos to Accra, Dakar to Abidjan — then integration remains aspirational.
Ibrahima reinforced this concern, noting that intra-regional trade still accounts for less than 10 percent of West Africa’s total trade, while most economies continue exporting raw commodities with minimal value addition.
“Our responsibility is clear,” Ibrahima said. “AfCFTA must become a lever for structural transformation.”
Both leaders underscored the decisive role of lawmakers in harmonising national legislation with regional commitments, dismantling non-tariff barriers, strengthening oversight and ensuring policy coherence.
Without legislative alignment, they cautioned, trade agreements risk remaining symbolic.
On security, Akpabio, who was represented by the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, described instability as “the enemy of integration,” warning that constitutional disruptions and insecurity erode investor confidence and weaken economic cooperation. Ibrahima aligned with this view, calling for stronger intelligence sharing, enhanced regional solidarity, and the effective deployment of collective security mechanisms to confront terrorism and transnational crime.
Beyond macroeconomic reforms, the two leaders emphasised inclusivity.
Ibrahima highlighted the need for women, youth, civil society and the private sector to fully participate in AfCFTA implementation, while Akpabio urged policies that support small entrepreneurs, industrialisation and value addition within the region.
“Let us refine our minerals here, process our cocoa here, assemble our machinery here,” Akpabio said, warning against continued dependence on exporting raw materials and importing finished goods.
Both leaders also reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to regional leadership grounded in shared prosperity rather than dominance.
As the largest economy in the bloc, Akpabio acknowledged that Nigeria’s stability was inseparable from that of its neighbours.
“If the tide rises for one and recedes for others, stability falters. We must rise together,” he declared.
Both leaders insisted the imperative of a coordinated push for deeper economic and political integration.
Their combined message was that the AfCFTA must move beyond conference halls into factories, ports, farms and digital platforms.
In a global system that rewards organised blocs, West Africa faces a defining choice — deepen integration and shape its destiny collectively, or remain fragmented and economically exposed.
On her part, Odumegwu-Ojukwu urged West African states to accelerate regional economic integration and strengthen institutional cooperation.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who was represented by the Head ECOWAS National Unit at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Nonyelum Afoekelu, in her opening remarks at the First Parliamentary Seminar and First Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament, an event which was part of activities marking the Golden Jubilee of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), stated that regional leaders should use the platform to recommit to the future of integration and shared prosperity.
She said the programme comes at a critical time when West Africa must consolidate its integration agenda, strengthen institutional coherence and collectively respond to socio-economic and security threats affecting the region.
She described the seminar as a strategic platform for reflection, renewed commitment and practical policy dialogue aimed at deepening regional cooperation, harmonising legislation and accelerating the realisation of ECOWAS objectives.
She also described the keynote theme of the seminar, “Deepening Regional Integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA): Opportunities and Challenges for the Expansion of Intra-Community Trade within the ECOWAS Region,” as highly relevant to the region’s development trajectory.
She noted that declining regional trade has been aggravated by insecurity, unconstitutional changes of government, climate change impacts and other transnational threats that continue to disrupt cross-border commerce.
However, she emphasised that the African Continental Free Trade Area presents a historic opportunity for West Africa to expand trade, attract investment and strengthen regional value chains.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu stressed that ECOWAS was not starting AfCFTA implementation from scratch, noting that the region already has a strong foundation through the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS), which promotes the free movement of goods originating within Member States.
She explained that the ETLS provides a tested institutional and legal framework that could be harmonised with continental trade structures to accelerate economic integration across Africa.
By leveraging existing regulatory instruments and dispute resolution mechanisms, she said ECOWAS could become a continental leader in operationalising AfCFTA and improving the global competitiveness of West African businesses.
She, however, emphasised that the ECOWAS Parliament must play a central role in translating regional agreements into domestic policies.
She said the Parliament serves as a bridge between regional commitments and national implementation by working with national governments and legislatures to ensure trade policies are aligned with AfCFTA objectives.
In practical terms, she called for: Ratification and harmonisation of trade-related legislation; adequate budgetary allocations for AfCFTA implementation; strong oversight of executive compliance; increased engagement with private sector actors, customs authorities, and civil society organisations
Through legislative diplomacy and policy scrutiny, she said the Parliament could help remove regulatory bottlenecks and eliminate non-tariff trade barriers that hinder regional commerce.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu urged delegates to actively participate in deliberations to ensure the session produces practical and actionable outcomes for regional development.
She expressed confidence that the seminar would help strengthen West Africa’s integration agenda and support long-term economic prosperity for the region’s citizens.
As ECOWAS celebrates its 50th anniversary, regional leaders say the focus remains on transforming integration commitments into real economic opportunities for businesses, traders and young entrepreneurs across West Africa.
