The ECOWAS Parliament has approved a budget of 19,636,030 Units of Account (about $26 million) for the 2026 fiscal year, underscoring its renewed push to strengthen democracy, regional cooperation, and legislative innovation across West Africa.
The budget, announced at the close of the Parliament’s Second Extraordinary Session in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, represents a 5 per cent increase from the 2025 allocation of 18,996,897 Units of Account. Speaker Hadjia Memounatou Ibrahima described the move as more than a financial exercise, calling it “the engine of parliament’s commitment to West Africans.”
According to her, the new allocation will help implement priority missions, including the outcomes of the recently concluded seminar on Artificial Intelligence (AI), while ensuring transparent management of public resources.
Out of the approved 2026 budget, UA 19,368,394, representing 98.64 per cent, will be financed through the Community Levy, a 0.5 per cent tax imposed on goods imported into ECOWAS member states from non-member countries. The remaining UA 257,636, or 1.36 per cent, will come from other sources.
But Ibrahima expressed concern that some member states were still defaulting on levy payments, despite its being the primary funding source for ECOWAS institutions. She cautioned that future defaults would attract sanctions, stressing the need for collective responsibility in sustaining the regional body.
One of the Parliament’s most ambitious priorities is the integration of Artificial Intelligence into its legislative work. Lawmakers say the technology will be harnessed to improve efficiency and deepen regional integration while maintaining safeguards against disinformation and rights abuses.
“The budget will enable us to carry out our priority missions, including implementing the conclusions of the seminar on AI,” Ibrahima noted, framing the initiative as part of a forward-looking vision for governance in West Africa.
Alongside fiscal matters, the Parliament is preparing to celebrate its 25th anniversary in November. The milestone will serve as both a reflection on the institution’s achievements and an opportunity to chart its future.
Ibrahima describes the anniversary “a chance to showcase resilience and chart a more innovative, youth-focused future for the community.”
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