Economic Community of West African States Pushes Labour Mobility, Legislative Reforms to Deepen Regional Integration

At the First Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament in Abuja, the Director of Free Movement of Persons and Migration at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Mr. Albert Siaw-Boateng, underscored the importance of free movement of persons and labour mobility as critical drivers of regional integration and the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Presenting a paper titled “Free Movement of Persons and Labour Mobility as Catalysts for Regional Integration and AfCFTA Success,” Siaw-Boateng highlighted the strong link between human mobility and intra-regional trade. He said effective labour mobility frameworks would significantly boost trade within West Africa and enhance the implementation of AfCFTA objectives.
He reviewed progress under the ECOWAS Free Movement Protocol, noting that the right of entry has been fully implemented across member states, with ongoing efforts to abolish the 90-day stay limitation in national laws and strengthen border management systems to facilitate labour mobility.
Siaw-Boateng explained that harmonising regional data collection and management systems remains central to evidence-based migration governance. He referenced the nine pillars of the Regional Migration Policy, including promotion of free movement, border management, combating trafficking and cross-border crime, managing labour migration and student mobility, and strengthening the migration-development nexus.
On labour migration governance, he recalled the ECOWAS Common Approach to Migration adopted in 2008, aimed at linking migration to development while minimising its adverse impacts.
Despite recorded progress, he identified significant governance gaps such as weak labour inspection systems, poor portability of social protection benefits, and inadequate labour market information sharing. He revealed that nearly 70 per cent of migrant workers operate within the informal sector, complicating efforts to regulate standards and extend protections.
To address these challenges, he disclosed that ECOWAS is implementing several initiatives, including the EU-funded Free Movement and Migration Project, the ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card, the ECO-Visa scheme, and a Regional Labour Migration Statistics Programme to harmonise data methodologies among member states.
He also cited skills mismatches and limited recognition of qualifications as key obstacles, noting that these are being tackled through a Regional Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and Qualifications Framework, alongside plans for a cross-border labour inspection network.
Siaw-Boateng concluded that while labour mobility fosters industrial development, bridges skills gaps, and promotes inclusion of women and youth, stronger governance reforms and digital labour mobility systems are necessary to fully unlock the benefits of AfCFTA.
Enang Advocates Direct Election of ECOWAS Parliament Members
In a related presentation titled “Parliamentary Oversight, Legislative Reforms and Implications of AfCFTA for Intra-Community Trade within ECOWAS,” former presidential adviser on National Assembly Matters, Senator (Dr.) Ita Solomon Enang, called for sweeping reforms in the composition of the ECOWAS Parliament.
Speaking at the seminar on deepening regional integration through AfCFTA, Enang described free trade agreements as instruments designed to eliminate trade barriers, regulate tariffs, and foster economic cooperation among nations.
He, however, raised concerns over the current structure of the ECOWAS Parliament, where members are drawn from national parliaments and serve on a part-time basis. According to him, the dual responsibility limits their ability to effectively carry out legislative oversight, committee work, and regional engagements.
Enang proposed the introduction of a “sunset clause” requiring member states to conduct direct elections of ECOWAS Parliamentarians within a specified timeframe — suggesting six months to one year. He argued that directly elected members would be better positioned to dedicate full-time attention to regional legislative responsibilities.
He further suggested that the ECOWAS Commission and the Authority of Heads of State and Government should establish clear deadlines for compliance and, if necessary, seek judicial clarification from the ECOWAS Court on the legality of continuing with part-time legislators.
Addressing concerns about feasibility, Enang maintained that elections could be conducted in accordance with each country’s electoral laws. Using Nigeria as an example, he said the country could elect about 35 members, ensuring compliance with the protocol’s requirement that at least 30 per cent of each national delegation be women.
He emphasised that strengthening the independence and structure of the ECOWAS Parliament is essential to enhancing legislative coherence, improving oversight, and advancing intra-community trade under AfCFTA.
The seminar concluded with renewed calls for stronger political will among member states to implement reforms necessary for deeper regional integration and sustainable economic growth within West Africa.