The 4th joint meeting of ECOWAS ministers of trade and industry has concluded with a strong call for economic diversification, industrial growth and regional collaboration. The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, at the meeting on Friday in Abuja, said that the collaboration was to address the evolving global trade landscape. The meeting welcomed representatives from 11 ECOWAS …

The triumvirate of Tchiani, Traore and Goita are behaving like petulant children. And it is now time to pull the ears of the petulants and apply tough love. You cannot continually overlook a child throwing his toys out of the pram anytime he is upset. The indulgence must stop, not too soon. It appears that we are minimising the risk …

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) member states will meet in Ghana on Tuesday to discuss the withdrawal of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. The meeting will take place over two days, Tuesday and Wednesday. In a statement on Tuesday, the bloc said member states will discuss the modalities of the countries’ withdrawal and its implications for ECOWAS …

Nigeria has officially gazetted and transmitted to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) secretariat, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Schedule of Tariff Offers for Trade in Goods under AfCFTA. With agreement, which establishes zero duties on 90% of tariff lines for trade in goods, Nigerian goods are now competitively positioned in the African market, ensuring greater …

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will consider the deployment of technology, including Artificial Intelligence (AI) in its counterterrorism and peace operations within the West African region. The chairman of the Governmental Experts Validation Meeting on Logistics Concept and Logistics Deport Policies of the ECOWAS Standby Force, Air Commodore Sampson Eyekosi, disclosed this at the closing ceremony of …

The three military-led West African nations – Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso – have officially withdrawn from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The regional bloc disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday. This brings to an end a year-long attempt by ECOWAS to convince the countries to reconsider leaving the bloc. ECOWAS, however, said it intends …

The Head of the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and Economic Community of West African States, Ambassador Gautier Mignot, has called on ECOWAS to adopt a new approach in its dealings with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, collectively known as the Alliance of Sahel States. Speaking in Abuja during a media briefing on Monday, Mignot expressed the EU’s regret over …

The Economic Community of West African States has condemned the recent violent attacks in Northern Benin that claimed dozens of lives. The attacks occurred on Wednesday in the Point Trible area and were carried out by unidentified armed individuals. In a statement on Sunday, the ECOWAS Commission extended its condolences to the government, security forces, and people of Benin, as …

Nigeria’s northern geopolitical neighbour, Niger Republic was effectively an annex of our country under the rulership of the immediate past President, Muhammadu Buhari. At every given opportunity, Buhari never failed to advertise the consanguineal connectivities between him as an individual, and Niger Republic, and indeed between his traditional sociocultural origins in Daura in Katsina State, and Maradi prefecture in Niger …

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has expressed support for Nigeria amid terrorism allegations from neighbouring Niger Republic. Niger’s military leader, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, had alleged that France is negotiating with terrorists in Nigeria to destabilise his country. In an interview with Radio-Télévision du Niger, the country’s state media, on Wednesday night, Tchiani accused President Bola Tinubu of …