ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, Goods, and Establishment and Implications on Regional Insecurity: Nigeria Perspective

Abstract

The ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, Goods, and the Right of Establishment, adopted in 1979, was designed to foster regional integration by allowing the unrestricted movement of people, goods, and services across West African member states. While Nigeria benefited from increased trade, investment, and cultural exchange, the implementation of the protocol also brought about significant security and economic challenges. This study assessed the security threats associated with the ECOWAS Protocol, with a particular focus on Nigeria’s North-East region. A historical-descriptive approach was used for the study, which relied on both primary and secondary data sources. Primary data were gathered through ten key informant interviews involving government officials, security experts, and policy practitioners to gain firsthand insights into the operational realities of the ECOWAS Protocol. These interviews provided qualitative evidence regarding the security and economic impacts of regional mobility. Secondary data were obtained from official reports, peer-reviewed academic journals, ECOWAS documents, and international policy briefs, which provided crucial information on crime patterns, enforcement gaps, and trade irregularities. The findings revealed that the ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons inadvertently facilitated human trafficking in Nigeria. Traffickers exploited weak border controls, informal crossing points, and fraudulent ECOWAS documents to move victims, particularly women and minors, through border towns such as Seme, Jibia, and Illela. Similarly, the Protocol on Free Movement of Goods facilitated the smuggling of small arms and light weapons (SALWs), often hidden within legal cargo and transported through unregulated routes, fueling violence in states like Borno, Zamfara, and Katsina. Additionally, the Right of Establishment provision was misused by smugglers who set up front companies to divert subsidized petroleum products across borders.The study recommended the implementation of a regional biometric identity verification system and the establishment of a robust intelligence-sharing framework among ECOWAS security agencies to improve border security and regional cooperation.