Outline any five contribution of Nigeria towards the growth of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

Answer Details

Five contributions of Nigeria towards the growth of ECOWAS

1. Role in the formation of the community: Nigeria, alongside Togo, played the leading role in initiating and founding ECOWAS through the Treaty of Lagos in 1975, and Lagos hosted the signing of the treaty.
2. Hosting of the Secretariat: Nigeria provided a home for major organs of the community, with the Executive Secretariat sited in Abuja, and gave logistical support to its running.
3. Major financial contributor: Nigeria bears the largest share of the community's budget, paying substantial financial contributions that keep the organisation and its programmes running.
4. Peacekeeping efforts: Nigeria took the lead in forming and funding ECOMOG, the community's monitoring group, and contributed the bulk of the troops that restored peace in war-torn member states such as Liberia and Sierra Leone.
5. Promotion of free movement and economic cooperation: Nigeria championed and implemented the protocol on the free movement of persons, goods and services, opening its borders and markets to nationals of member states and encouraging regional trade.

Nigeria has also provided energy and technical assistance to member states and given diplomatic leadership to strengthen unity within the sub-region.