Introduction to ECOWAS
ECOWAS is the Economic Community of West African States. Its role is to promote economic and political integration in West Africa. It has a population of 430 million people and generated a GDP of $734 billion in 2024.
Its 12 member states are:
- 5 French-speaking countries: Benin, Cรดte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Senegal, Togo
- 5 English-speaking countries: Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone
- 2 Portuguese-speaking countries: Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau.
Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, historical members since 1975, left ECOWAS in January 2025, following political and commercial disagreements.
Map of the member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as of January 29, 2025, after the departure of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, members of the Sahel States Alliance (SSA) ยฉ AFP – Sylvie HUSSON, Julie PEREIRA
The founding principle of ECOWAS: freedom of movement of people and goods
Any citizen of an ECOWAS member state can travel anywhere within ECOWAS without a visa.
Freedom of movement also applies to temporary residence, allowing one to live full-time in another member country.
How can you obtain temporary residence, in Ghana for example, if you hold a passport from another ECOWAS member state?
You will find many incomplete and contradictory answers online. In reality, despite the complex procedures that appear on more or less official websites, obtaining residency in ECOWAS as a citizen of a member state is relatively straightforward.
Obtaining temporary residency in ECOWAS with an ECOWAS passport
As a citizen of an ECOWAS member state, you can obtain temporary residency in the 11 other ECOWAS countries under the following conditions:
- Present yourself at the national immigration authority (ONECI in Ivory Coast, DPETV in Senegal, GIS in Ghana, NIS in Nigeria, etc.)
- Declare yourself as an entrepreneur or employee: this is purely an administrative formality, no proof of investment or employment is required
- Pay the processing fees: between $10 and $500, depending on the country
- Residency duration: 1 year, renewable according to national regulations
- Generally, one must be a resident in an ECOWAS country to open a local bank account
This is why having an ECOWAS passport is so useful! It allows you to travel freely and conduct business throughout the region.
If you have family in the region, or even if you have no particular connection with ECOWAS but wish to benefit from free movement within the region, Sierra Leone offers a Citizenship by Investment program.
If you have African origins, you can obtain this citizenship at a reduced cost: $100,000 instead of $140,000.
You can even include your extended family, as well as a friend or associate who is not a family member, upon request.
The application can be completed entirely remotely, with no travel required.
We are official agents, accredited by the government, for Sierra Leoneโs Citizenship by Investment program.
Contact us to learn more about Sierra Leoneโs Citizenship by Investment program.
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