The Federal Government has paid US$100,324,011.33 to the Economic Community of West Africa, ECOWAS, as a community levy for this year alone.
The Nigerian delegation to the ongoing Second Ordinary Session of ECOWAS Parliament disclosed this in the presentation of Nigeria country report.
Leader of the delegation and deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Idris Wase, said Nigeria had so far this year, remitted $100,324,011.33 to the ECOWAS Commission.
He added that the government was committed to fulfilling its financial obligations to ECOWAS and was making arrangements to pay up the balance for the year.
He said: “Nigeria’s commitment to the ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons and Goods is completely unwavering. In a bid to gain full realization of the protocol, the Federal Government has introduced the Visa on Arrival, VoA, policy to expedite movement of ECOWAS members through Nigeria’s borders.
“The Federal Government has signed the agreement establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA. Nigeria has equally demonstrated commitment to a gradual removal of import duties and other non-tariff barriers on imports within the African continent. ”To show the Federal Government’s commitment, the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, has commissioned the first Export Processing Terminal, EPT, in the country.
”This is geared at enabling export-bound cargoes access to Lagos seaports without a glitch, in line with AfCFTA objectives. With this move, we believe we will encourage intra-African trade and boost regional development.”
