ECOWAS at 50: Amb Zainab Mohammed Calls for Pan-African Economic Protectionism.

By Raymond Enoch

As ECOWAS marks its 50th anniversary, Ambassador Zainab Mohammed has expressed a call for authorities and government in West Africa to move beyond ceremonial reflections and embrace a bold new doctrine: Pan-African Protectionism.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Paradigm News Amb Mohammed argues that while ECOWAS has made significant progress in regional integration—through free movement, peacekeeping, and trade liberalization—West Africa remains economically not stable as expected.

“We are still exporting what we don’t consume and consuming what we don’t produce,” she said. “This is economic neo-colonialism in disguise.” she asserted.

According to Mohammed, Pan-African Protectionism does not mean shutting out the world, but prioritizing local industries through tariffs, subsidies, and regional supply chains—strategies already used by global powers such as the United States, China, and the EU.

Citing sobering figures, she noted that more than 70% of manufactured goods consumed in ECOWAS are imported, and over $4 billion is spent annually on rice imports alone, despite the region’s vast agricultural potential. In Nigeria, over 90% of fuel is imported despite having four refineries.

“This isn’t trade—it’s wealth extortion,” Mohammed emphasized.

She proposes a four-point plan to shift ECOWAS member states towards industrial self-reliance: protect strategic industries, prioritize locally-made goods in public procurement, establish a $5 billion ECOWAS Industrial Growth Fund, and harmonize regional trade standards.

Mohammed points to success stories like the Dangote Refinery in Nigeria, Innoson Motors, and Senegal’s DER initiative as proof that local industries can thrive if protected and scaled.

As ECOWAS reflects on five decades of unity, Mohammed insists the next 50 years must focus on economic independence, industrialization, and regional solidarity.

“If we don’t protect what is ours,” she warns, “someone else will profit from it.” she concluded