- NEOCOLONIALISM AND THE DILEMMA OF THE THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES. pp. 1-7
- ECONOMIC GLOBALIZATION AND THE STATE IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA NATURAL RESOURCES, INSECURITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT. pp. 8-25
- ECOWAS PROTOCOL ON FREE MOVEMENT OF PERSONS AND GOODS: IMPLICATIONS FOR NIGERIA’S FOREIGN POLICY, SECURITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. pp. 26-39
- STATE FAILURE, TERRORISM AND INSURGENCY IN THE WEST AFRICAN SAHEL. pp. 40-47
- THE ROLES OF HISTORY EDUCATION IN STRENGTHENING DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE IN NIGERIA: INSIGHTS FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD. pp.48-58
- SYRIAN CRISIS AND ITS IMPLICATIONS ON INTERNATIONAL SECURITY. pp. 59-66
- NIGERIA-NIGER RELATIONS: BETWEEN CORDIALITY AND BRINKMANSHIP, 2015-2023. pp. 67-80
- HISTORICAL ANALYSIS OF INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION CONVENTIONS AGAINST AERIAL TERRORISM DURING THE COLD WAR ERA. pp. 81-90
- DIGITAL MILITIAS AND THE WEAPONIZATION OF SOCIAL MEDIA: IMPLICATIONS FOR NATIONAL SECURITY IN WEST AFRICA AND BEYOND. pp. 91-98
- CROSS-BORDER DYNAMICS AND TERRITORIAL RECONFIGURATION IN WEST AFRICA. pp. 99-109
- REGIMES, RADICAL INTERNATIONALISM, AND THE INTERNATIONAL LETHAL ORDER. pp. 110-125
Abstract: This paper examines the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, Residence, and Establishment from 2010 to 2025, assessing its impact on Nigeria’s foreign policy, security, and economic development. As the sub-region’s largest economy and most populous state, Nigeria plays a central role in advancing ECOWAS integration objectives. While the Protocol aims to facilitate regional mobility, enhance intra-community trade, and deepen economic cooperation, its implementation has presented challenges, including border insecurity, smuggling, and irregular migration. Using qualitative analysis of secondary data and framed within Liberal Institutionalism and Realism, the study demonstrates that while institutional cooperation under ECOWAS strengthens Nigeria’s diplomatic influence and trade networks (Liberal Institutionalism), realist concerns regarding national security and state sovereignty shape policy responses to the Protocol’s challenges. The paper concluded that Nigeria’s foreign policy must pragmatically balance regional commitments with domestic priorities and recommends enhanced border governance, policy coherence, and institutional coordination to ensure that the free movement framework supports both Nigeria’s development agenda and ECOWAS integration goals.
Keywords: ECOWAS, Free Movement, Nigeria, Foreign Policy, Security, Economic Development, Regional Integration