By Alexander Adi
A review and validation of the draft regulation on the ECOWAS Community Levy Manual of Operations is underway in Accra. The four-day meeting brings together experts from member states responsible for the community levy to provide input on the draft manual ahead of its adoption.
The community levy, the main source of funding for ECOWAS, is a 0.5% charge imposed on goods imported from non-ECOWAS member states. It is expected to cover between 70% and 90% of the community’s budget. The ECOWAS protocol outlines the conditions for applying the levy, which was instituted under Article 72 of the ECOWAS Treaty.
Chairman of the Administration and Finance Committee, Dr. Robert Moikowa, described the experts’ meeting as a significant step in the drafting process of the levy manual.
Commissioner of Internal Services, Prof. Nazifi Abdullahi Darma, in a presentation on the concept note for the manual’s adoption, stressed that the document is critical for streamlining and expanding the levy’s implementation.
In December 2024, the Federal Government of Nigeria paid $54 million in community levy contributions to ECOWAS, covering the period from 2023 to 2024. The payment marked a major milestone, as it was the first time in 19 years that Nigeria had paid 100% of its community levy. Ghana, on the other hand, paid close to 80% of its dues.
The meeting in Accra was necessitated by the need to address long-standing inaccuracies in the levy’s implementation. According to the ECOWAS Director of Budget and Treasury, Mr. Molokwu Azikiwe, some of the issues identified included ambiguities in interpretation, underscoring the need for strict compliance with the protocol.
The final manual will be presented to the ECOWAS Council of Ministers for approval.
