Mali, Burkina Faso, And Niger Impose 0.5% Levy On Imported Goods From Nigeria, Other ECOWAS Nations

Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have announced the implementation of a 0.5% levy on imported goods from Nigeria and other member-states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), as they seek to fund a new regional union following their exit from the bloc.

The announcement, made in an official statement on Friday, marks a significant shift in trade relations within West Africa, with the new levy taking effect immediately.

The statement clarified that the levy would apply to all imported goods, except for humanitarian aid, and would be used to finance the activities of the new bloc, although no further details were provided on how the funds would be utilized.

The move effectively ends the free trade agreement that had been in place across West Africa under the ECOWAS umbrella for several decades.

This levy is part of a broader strategy by Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to build a new union after their departure from ECOWAS.

The three countries, each currently ruled by military juntas following coups in 2023, had previously established the Alliance of Sahel States as a security pact.

Over time, this alliance has grown into an economic union with aspirations for greater military and financial integration, including plans to introduce biometric passports.

Last year, the three nations left ECOWAS, citing insufficient support from the bloc in combating Islamist insurgencies and addressing ongoing insecurity within their borders.

In response, ECOWAS imposed economic, political, and financial sanctions on Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, aiming to pressure them to return to constitutional order. However, these sanctions have had little effect on the three countries, which continue to strengthen their alliance.