In a bold move, the military governments of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have imposed a 0.5% levy on all imported goods from Nigeria and other ECOWAS member nations. The decision, announced last Friday, is set to fund the newly established three-state union after the countries’ departure from the larger regional bloc, according to an official statement from the trio.
Effective immediately, the levy applies to goods imported from outside these three nations, excluding humanitarian aid. The statement, while outlining the levy, did not delve into specific financial details, only stating that the funds would support the activities of the new alliance.
This new move effectively disrupts the longstanding free trade across West Africa, as the three nations – each under military rule following recent coups in 2023 – have taken a strong stance against ECOWAS. The trio had previously formed the Alliance of Sahel States (ASS), aimed at bolstering regional security and eventually morphing into a more integrated economic union, complete with biometric passports.
Last year, the three nations severed ties with ECOWAS, citing insufficient support in their fight against Islamist insurgencies and regional insecurity. In response, ECOWAS, led by Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, imposed sanctions, but these have yet to sway the three countries from their course.
Despite diplomatic efforts from ECOWAS, including a recent report from Ghana’s President John Mahama to President Tinubu, the three countries remain firm in their resolve to build a new bloc, leaving the future of regional cooperation in uncertainty.
