ECOWAS integration process and the role of the regional hegemon

ECOWAS, the main economic community in West Africa, in its forty-five (45) years of existence, is far from achieving the objectives that motivated its creation. ECOWAS is at an advanced stage institutionally. It is a model on the continent. On the other hand, regionalisation is still in its infancy. The countries trade very little among themselves, they all have the same economic structures based on raw materials. Despite the existence of Nigeria, which is the leading economic power on the continent and also the hegemon of ECOWAS, the latter does not manage to create a trade effect with the other countries of the region, its trade is limited to a few countries. In terms of statistics, it is the main contributor to the region's GDP. However, Nigeria has been able to use its status to assert itself politically, particularly in the resolution of political and security crises and also within ECOWAS institutions.