Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger Impose Duty Levy on Nigeria and Others

Post created on 11:57 am

Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have ended free trade with neighboring West African countries that has been in existence for ages under the umbrella of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The immediate move was made on Friday by the three Sahel nations, announcing a 0.5% import duty levy on goods entering the country from Nigeria, Ghana, and its likes.

However, humanitarian aid was not included, as the new bloc, without giving much detail, said it would finance the activities.

This new tariff is aimed at generating revenue and allowing the nations to stand independently after severing ties with the ECOWAS regional bloc.

No formal statement has been issued by ECOWAS, but the tension between the organization and its former members keeps rising.