Share of ECOWAS population and gross domestic product

Many experts have described ECOWAS as one of the most institutionally structured (see Box 2) and best-functioning African regional economic communities. However, since its inception it has faced several challenges. It gathers member states which are very different in size and economic power, as well as in the legal and monetary systems inherited from their colonial past (see Figures 1, 2 and 3). Nigeria considerably outweighs other member states in terms of share of population, gross domestic product (GDP) and financial contribution to membership. ECOWAS does not have specific funds to support regional integration to mitigate these differences.