Nigeria has urged the ECOWAS Parliament to strengthen its legislative actions to accelerate the effective implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and advance regional integration across West Africa.
The call was made by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs Bianca Ojukwu, at the opening of the 2026 First Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament and a regional seminar held on Monday in Abuja.
Represented by Amb. Nonyelum Afoekelu, Director of the ECOWAS National Unit, the minister said parliamentary diplomacy would play a critical role in ensuring that member states fully harness the benefits of AfCFTA.
She noted that amid prevailing political, economic and security challenges in the sub-region, AfCFTA remained a vital instrument for unlocking trade and investment opportunities capable of driving sustainable growth.
“In practical terms, this means promoting the ratification and harmonisation of trade-related laws, ensuring adequate budgetary provisions for implementation, exercising oversight on executive compliance, and encouraging stakeholder engagement, including the private sector, customs services and civil society,” she said.
Ojukwu stressed that through legislative advocacy, policy scrutiny and diplomatic engagement, the ECOWAS Parliament could help dismantle regulatory barriers, promote the removal of non-tariff obstacles and ensure effective utilisation of AfCFTA opportunities.
She added that aligning AfCFTA mechanisms with the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme would further consolidate the region’s integration agenda and enhance collective responses to emerging economic challenges.
According to her, AfCFTA offers a historic chance to expand intra-regional trade, strengthen regional value chains and position West African enterprises to compete favourably within the continental market.
“The ECOWAS Parliament remains the democratic link between regional ambitions and national execution. Its sustained engagement is crucial for delivering tangible economic gains to our people,” she said.
Also speaking, the President of ECOWAS, Dr Omar Touray, represented by the Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Dr Kalilou Sylla, described regional lawmakers as indispensable in translating AfCFTA commitments into concrete outcomes.
He said parliamentarians serve as the bridge between treaties and everyday realities, playing a vital role in harmonising legislation, facilitating cross-border movement and promoting inclusive integration.
Touray observed that with its youthful population, abundant resources and entrepreneurial capacity, West Africa could emerge as a major manufacturing hub if integration efforts were effectively implemented.
He emphasised that democracy remained central to sustainable development, warning that political instability and unconstitutional changes of government often resulted in economic stagnation and social decline.
The Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Mémounatou Ibrahima, urged stakeholders to fully seize the opportunities presented by AfCFTA, stressing the need for collective action to deepen regional economic cooperation.
She called on member states, lawmakers, the private sector, civil society, women and youth groups to work together to harmonise laws, remove non-tariff barriers and ensure efficient utilisation of community resources.
The seminar, themed “Deepening Regional Integration through the AfCFTA: Opportunities and Challenges for Expanding Intra-Community Trade,” provided a platform for strategic dialogue aimed at enhancing legislative and policy frameworks for AfCFTA implementation across the sub-region.