West Africa: Pullout of Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali From Ecowas Blunted Integration Protocols - - Dare

What the report says

Sunday Dare, a senior aide to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, said the departure of Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali from the Economic Community of West African States weakened regional integration efforts, especially rules meant to support the free movement of goods and services. The comments were reported by Leadership and distributed by AllAfrica, with Dare speaking in Abuja during a discussion on border management and regional cooperation.

According to the article, Dare argued that the exit of the three countries created a broader regional crisis and put pressure on existing cooperation frameworks. He also said the move helped lead to the creation of the Alliance of Sahel States, a separate bloc that has complicated relations within West Africa. His remarks linked border policy to both economic activity and security, with emphasis on how border controls can affect trade, stability and cooperation across the region.

Dare also rejected claims that Nigeria’s borders are closed, saying they remain open but regulated by immigration, customs and security agencies. He cautioned against turning border security into a campaign issue ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 elections. The same report noted that Defence Minister Christopher Musa said the Tinubu administration is prioritizing security, military modernization and coordination across land, sea, air and cyber domains.

The issue matters because ECOWAS has long been one of West Africa’s main platforms for political and economic integration, so any weakening of its protocols can affect trade, mobility and regional diplomacy.