Taiwo Hassan 
Following the exit of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), members of the organised private sector (OPS) have raised the alarm that the proposed implementation of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement, may hit the rocks with cost implications on the continent’s trade. Similarly, the private sector group stated that the exit could spell doom for economic integration aspirations both at the regional and continental levels. The Director-General of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Mr. Segun Ajayi-Kadir, and the Founder/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), Dr. Muda Yusuf, made this known to New Telegraph in Lagos.
They said the exit could cause major setback to ECOWAS regional economic trade, which will ultimately affect Nigeria’s Big Brother role in the West African region. In his assertion, the MAN DG stated that AfCFTA may be dead on arrival if the countries are allowed to cease their membership of ECOWAS as it is going to weaken ECOWAS in the continent. Ajayi-Kadir noted that their withdrawal from ECOWAS would be a bad omen for Nigeria when it comes to regional economic integration and trade in general. The MAN boss pointed out that their withdrawal could usurp the peaceful coexistence of internal security in ECOWAS, including bilateral trade and seamless trade facilitation in West Africa states. According to him, quitting their membership of the regional body, the trio, which are currently under military regime, have gone ahead to form a hostile confederation around Nigeria’s northern borders, which is currently faced with worsening insecurity for over a decade.
Ajayi-Kadir explained that the exit would have severe cost implications on major economic treaties in ECOWAS that will lead to the reviews of the region’s economic trade treaties. On his part, Yusuf said that their quitting of ECOWAS would pose instability and risk to the region as a whole, having been brothers for quite a long time, saying this would definitely affect regional economic trade. Yusuf stated: “The development is bad for our economic integration aspirations both at the regional and continental levels. The regional economic blocs are supposed to be the pillars for the AfCFTA. Therefore, the weakening of ECOWAS is in a sense the weakening of the pillars of AFCFTA. “The pulling out by these countries will further worsen the problem of economic fragmentation.
“It also could negatively im- pact on current efforts to collectively tackle issues of terrorism, insurgency, banditry and kidnapping in the subregion and the continent.” A former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, had said that the decision of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger Republic to withdraw their membership of the Economic Community of West African States was not only a sad and unfortunate development, but also, dangerous, especially for Nigeria’s fledging internal security. He, however, prayed God to restore peace, unity and brotherhood to the troubled sub-region. In a post on his verified X handle @realFFK, the former Minister said: “The withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger Republic from ECOWAS is a sad and unfortunate development.
“The fact that they have formed a hostile confederation right on our northern border is also troubling and has grave implications for our security. May God restore the brotherhood and unity we once enjoyed in our sub-region and may He preserve the peace.” Recall that the three military-led West African nations had announced their immediate withdrawal from regional bloc ECOWAS, accusing the body of becoming a threat to its members. Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso “decide in complete sovereignty on the immediate withdrawal” from the Economic Community of West African States ECOWAS, read a joint statement published on Sunday. ECOWAS “under the influence of foreign powers, betraying its founding principles, has become a threat to its member states and its population”, read the statement.
The three countries accused the regional body of failing to support their fight against “terrorism and insecurity,” while imposing “illegal, illegitimate, inhumane and irresponsible sanctions.”
