The ECOWAS Parliament has approved a budget of 19,636,030 Units of Account (about $26 million) for the 2026 fiscal year and announced plans to commemorate its 25th anniversary in November.
Speaker of Parliament, Hadjia Memounatou Ibrahima, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, following the conclusion of the Parliament’s 2025 Second Extraordinary Session in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
She explained that the budget was adopted during plenary, noting that it reflects the Parliament’s commitment to serving West Africans.
“This budget will enable us to carry out our priority missions, including implementing the conclusions of the seminar on Artificial Intelligence, while ensuring transparent and accountable management of public funds entrusted to us,” Ibrahima said.
The 2026 budget represents a 5 per cent increase from the 2025 fiscal year, rising by UA 939,233 from last year’s UA 18,996,897. Out of the total UA 19,636,030, about UA 19,368,394 (98.64 per cent) is expected to come from the Community Levy, while UA 257,636 (1.36 per cent) will be sourced elsewhere.
The Community Levy—a 0.5 per cent tax on goods imported into ECOWAS member states from non-ECOWAS countries—is the main source of funding for ECOWAS institutions.The Speaker, however, expressed concern that some member states were still defaulting in remitting the levy, warning that sanctions would henceforth be applied against defaulters.
On the Parliament’s 25th anniversary, scheduled for November, Ibrahima said the celebration would highlight its achievements in strengthening democracy, regional cooperation, and development despite persistent challenges.She described the milestone as “a chance to showcase resilience and chart a more innovative, youth-focused future for the community.”
