ECOWAS Urged to Accelerate Free Movement Protocol

A renewed push for deeper regional integration has emerged in West Africa, as lawmakers called on governments to fast-track ratification of the African Union’s Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons.

Speaking at the ECOWAS Parliament in Abuja, Third Deputy Speaker Osahene Alex Afenyo Markin warned that Africa’s integration agenda risks stalling without meaningful progress on mobility across borders.

He stressed that the African Continental Free Trade Area cannot reach its full potential if people are unable to move freely, despite ongoing efforts to liberalize trade across the continent.

The protocol, adopted by the African Union in 2018, has seen limited progress. Only four countries have ratified it so far, far below the 15 required for it to enter into force.

Afenyo Markin highlighted a key contradiction: while African states have advanced trade agreements, they have not matched this with political commitment to free movement. This gap, he argued, undermines the vision of a unified continental market serving more than 1.5 billion people.

The situation is particularly striking in West Africa. Despite Economic Community of West African States being widely regarded as a leader in regional mobility—thanks to its long-standing visa-free travel framework—no current member state has ratified the AU protocol.

He noted that, in practice, movement across borders remains hindered by challenges such as harassment, unofficial checkpoints, and administrative barriers, weakening the effectiveness of existing agreements.

The address included a direct call for action, urging ECOWAS governments to complete ratification processes and align with continental frameworks. A proposed parliamentary resolution would identify countries yet to ratify the protocol, push for faster legislative approval, and require regular updates on progress.

The speech also placed regional leadership under scrutiny. Ghana, which hosts the AfCFTA Secretariat and plays a central role in integration efforts, has yet to ratify the protocol, with a target timeline extending to 2027.

Afenyo Markin concluded with a broader message: Africa’s challenge is no longer about vision but execution. Without free movement of people, he argued, the continent’s flagship trade project risks becoming incomplete.