ECOWAS must lead AfCFTA rollout, boost trade, industrialization – Speaker

Mémounatou Ibrahima, Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, has called on lawmakers to deliver measurable results as the region accelerates the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Addressing delegates at the opening of the first extraordinary session of 2026 in Abuja on Monday, Ibrahima emphasized that ECOWAS must take a leading role in coordinating and harmonizing AfCFTA’s rollout.

She warned that intra-regional trade remains below 10 percent and industrial capacity in West Africa is still weak.

“We must not merely accompany this process. ECOWAS must lead, coordinate, and harmonize it. Our responsibility is clear: to make this instrument a lever for structural transformation in West Africa,” she said.

The speaker noted an average growth rate of five percent, a common external tariff, and operational tools such as the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System.

She added that despite these advances, West Africa continues to export mainly raw materials with minimal local processing, a trend she insisted must change.

Ibrahima outlined three key priorities for 2026: consolidating democracy and the rule of law, strengthening regional security against terrorism and extremism, and advancing women’s leadership beyond the current 30 percent quota.

On democracy, she welcomed Guinea’s return to constitutional order following its December 2025 elections and stressed the need for credible polls in Cape Verde, The Gambia, and Benin.

Regarding security, she described terrorism and extremism as “existential threats” and urged member states to enhance intelligence sharing and deploy the ECOWAS Standby Force more effectively.

Speaking on gender inclusion, Ibrahima encouraged deeper reforms, stating, “We have achieved a 30 percent quota for women, but we must go further to ensure meaningful and transformative participation.”

She urged delegates to make the session a turning point for regional integration.

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“May our work here mark a decisive turning point in advancing integration—more efficient, more effective, and closer to our people,” she said.

The session is also set to adopt ECOWAS’s annual work plan, which will cover legislative debates, oversight missions, and civic engagement initiatives across member states.