Why Morocco Must Not Join ECOWAS – Nigerian Private Sector Explains

President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Frank Jacobs, has warned against the inclusion of Morocco into the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS.

Speaking with newsmen, Jacobs said the proposed membership of Morocco will stifle the growth of the manufacturing sector in Nigeria.

He said his association bears in mind that Morocco and the European Union, EU, have a trade agreement, and adopting the country into ECOWAS would mean that products from Europe will eventually end up in Nigeria which has the largest market in West Africa.

“Products that come into Morocco from the EU, will end up in Nigeria. After all, Nigeria is the biggest market among all the countries in ECOWAS.

“We are vehemently opposed to Morocco being admitted into ECOWAS.

“It will really affect us badly, so we are telling government not to allow them become part of ECOWAS because it will affect the productive sector of this economy.” Jacobs said.

On June 4, 2017, the North African country submitted its application to join ECOWAS at the 51st Ordinary Session of its heads of states in Monrovia, Liberia.

Member states have since kicked against the move.