The Politics and Challenges of ECOWAS' Common Currency

ECOWAS was established in 1975 for accelerated economic development in the West African sub-region. The supranational organization soon evolved from mere economic cooperation to economic integration, and this giant seemed to have experienced many contradictions.Therefore, the book reviewed the politics involved in the introduction of common currency, and specifically focused on the series of challenges that acts as impediment to the successful take-off of ECOWAS single currency in the sixteen countries that make up the West African region. The study assessed the efforts of ECOWAS and member states, especially the Second Monetary Zone (Anglophone states) in creating a common currency and the eventual merger with the First Monetary Zone (CFA zone) in 2015, which would ultimately lead to the adoption of a single currency in West Africa. The book would be a resource pool to political and economic elites, actors involved in the West African monetary Project, and researchers interested in the workings of supranational organization.

Adeoye O. AKINOLA , BSc and MSc (Political Science)at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Nigeria; where he presently teaches as Assistant Lecturer since 2007. His area of specialization are Research Methodology, Political Economy and International Relations. He has published in many local and international journals.