Nigeria sends ECOWAS $100 million in levies for 2022

The Federal Government has paid a community levy of US$100,324,011.33 to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) this year alone.The Nigerian delegation to the ongoing Second Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament revealed this during the presentation of the country report for Nigeria.Ahmed Idris Wase, leader of the delegation and deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, stated that Nigeria has remitted $100,324,011.33 to the ECOWAS Commission so far this year.He added that the government was committed to meeting its financial obligations to ECOWAS and was making plans to pay the year’s balance.”Nigeria’s commitment to the ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons and Goods is unequivocal,” he said. In order to fully implement the protocol, the Federal Government implemented the Visa on Arrival (VoA) policy to expedite movement of ECOWAS members through Nigeria’s borders.”The Federal Government has signed the agreement that will establish the African Continental Free Trade Area, or AfCFTA.” Nigeria has also demonstrated its commitment to gradually eliminating import duties and other non-tariff barriers to intra-African trade. To demonstrate the Federal Government’s commitment, the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, has inaugurated the country’s first Export Processing Terminal, EPT.”This is designed to ensure that export-bound cargoes have seamless access to Lagos seaports, in line with AfCFTA objectives.” With this move, we hope to promote intra-African trade and regional development.”