Military juntas in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have instituted a 0.5% levy on imported goods originating from Nigeria and other member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
This decision is part of their efforts to finance a new union among the three nations, following their departure from the larger regional economic bloc, as stated in an official announcement.
The levy, which was agreed upon on Friday, takes immediate effect and will be applied to all imports from outside the three countries, although humanitarian aid is exempt from this charge.
The statement indicated that the funds generated from this levy will be utilized to support the activities of the newly formed bloc, although specific details were not disclosed.
This development marks the end of free trade within West Africa, a region that has traditionally operated under the ECOWAS framework. It underscores the growing divide between the three northern states bordering the Sahara Desert and more influential democracies to the south, such as Nigeria and Ghana.
Each of the three nations is governed by military juntas that seized power through recent coups in 2023. They formed the Alliance of Sahel States as a security agreement after exiting ECOWAS. Over time, this alliance has evolved into a prospective economic union, with ambitions for enhanced military and financial collaboration, including plans for biometric passports.
Last year, the three countries withdrew from ECOWAS, alleging inadequate support from the bloc in combating Islamist insurgencies and addressing security challenges. In response, ECOWAS imposed a series of economic, political, and financial sanctions on the trio in an attempt to restore constitutional governance, though these measures have had limited success.
