By Our Reporter 18-6-2025
Economic Community of West African States said that US President Donald Trump’s proposal to ban the citizens of ECOWAS from entering the USA was bad for business.
Mr. Yusuf Tuggar, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and chairman of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council, said such proposals threatens trade and regional cooperation.
“It would be most unfortunate if it comes to pass because we are a region of opportunities ready to do deals.
“We would like to do deals with the US, but visa restrictions are non-tariff barriers to deals,” said Tuggar, who was speaking at the 54th Ordinary Session of the Mediation and Security Council at the ministerial level in Abuja on Wednesday.
Tuggar added that it would be a diplomatic and economic miscalculation, stressing that ECOWAS countries possess untapped opportunities for global partnerships.
“We possess critical minerals and even rare earths such as Samarium from the Monazite found in my home state of Bauchi.
“We in this part of the world are students of the art of the deal and have been part of the international trading system even before the modern state system.
“ECOWAS countries and the US have a rare opportunity to create a partnership based on principles of need.
“We are also a strategic alternative to more distant and politically divergent energy producers.
“We will do deals for our prosperity; the only question is with whom? Who takes up the opportunities in our region by allowing government officials and technocrats, business executives and entrepreneurs to travel freely back and forth to close the deals?”
In his latest travel ban proposal Trump included Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, Benin, Liberia, Gambia, Cape Verde who all ECOWAS member states.