Abiola Sopeju
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has placed free movement of persons and labour mobility at the centre of its regional integration agenda, describing them as critical catalysts for the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Albert Siaw-Boateng, ECOWAS Director of Free Movement of Persons and Migration, said the organisation’s Free Movement Protocol, adopted in 1979 and revised in 1993, remains a cornerstone of integration.
Implemented in three phases, the protocol guarantees visa-free entry, the right of residence for employment, and the right of establishment for business creation, all underpinned by the principle of non-discrimination.
He explained that ECOWAS migration policies, including the Common Approach to Migration (2008), the Labour Migration Strategy and Action Plan (2025–2030), and the Decent Work Regional Programme, aim to promote safe and rights-based mobility.
These frameworks also seek to improve labour market data, strengthen social protection, and enhance inspection systems for migrant workers.
While the right of entry has been fully implemented, Siaw-Boateng noted gaps in enforcement, weak portability of social protection, limited labour inspection, and fragmented data systems.
He highlighted informality, where 70 percent of migrant workers operate outside formal structures, as a major challenge, alongside skills mismatches and poor recognition of qualifications.
The ECOWAS Regional Migration Policy, built on nine pillars, addresses issues ranging from border management and trafficking to climate change impacts and gender inclusion.
Current programmes include the EU-funded Free Movement and Migration Project, rollout of the ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card, harmonisation of driver’s licences, introduction of an ECO-Visa, and regional labour migration statistics initiatives.
Labour mobility, he stressed, supports industrial development, addresses skills gaps, encourages SME participation, and strengthens informal cross-border trade, while promoting inclusion of women and youth.
Opportunities lie in digital labour mobility systems, private sector engagement, and skills mobility partnerships, which ECOWAS believes will deepen integration and enhance AfCFTA’s impact across West Africa.
This framing positions free movement not only as a legal right but as an economic necessity for regional growth and competitiveness.
