WILBERFORCE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIAL SCIENCES (WJSS)
ISSN: 2504 – 9232
Volume 10, No. 2, November 2025
Pages 82-107
DOI: 10.36108/wjss/5202.01.0250
IMPACT OF ECOWAS FREE TRADE AND MOVEMENT: THE CASE OF NIGERIA AND BENIN REPUBLIC WITHIN WEST AFRICA
Ambily Etekpe
Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Nigeria
Abstract
Whereas in 1975, 15 West African countries formed the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to facilitate cooperation and integration, the protocol (treaty) on free trade and movement (EFTM) that should serve as catalyst was not established until 2000. The protocol is to stimulate the realisation of full economic integration of the community by removing the obstacles and it has made remarkable impacts but largely down-played. Thus, this study examined the impact of EFTM on the economies of member states, and the critical-success-factors (CSF) responsible for it, particularly between Nigeria (Seme) and Benin Republic (Krake) borders in 2000-2024. These borders are the busiest, in terms of volume of trade/movement among the 84 approved routes. The study adopted the ‘neo-functionalism theoretical’ framework propounded by Hass, applied survey method of data collection, and found that the Community has achieved remarkable impacts and identified 5 CSF responsible for it. It recommended that ECOWAS’ leaders should pursue solid economic diplomacy among member states to sustain the present impact of EFTM in the next 50 years.