The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says its Free Movement Protocol is vital to the successful implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and broader regional integration.
ECOWAS Director of Free Movement of Persons and Migration, Albert Siaw-Boateng, stated this in Abuja during the ECOWAS Parliament’s 2026 First Extraordinary Session and Seminar.
He described the protocol adopted in 1979 and revised in 1993 as the bloc’s most ambitious integration tool, enabling citizens to move, live, and work freely across member states. Implemented in three phases, it allows visa-free travel and guarantees rights of residence and establishment.
However, Siaw-Boateng noted challenges including weak data systems, labour market informality, poor enforcement, skills mismatches, and limited recognition of qualifications. He stressed that effective governance, harmonised data systems, and digital labour mobility reforms are crucial to unlocking AfCFTA’s full benefits.
He added that initiatives such as the EU-funded Free Movement and Migration Project, the ECOWAS Biometric Identity Card, ECO-Visa, and a Regional Labour Migration Statistics Programme are underway to address gaps and strengthen implementation.
