INTEGRATION AND TRADE IN WEST AFRICAN SUB REGION: A STUDY OF THE POST COLONIAL PERIOD
INTEGRATION AND TRADE IN WEST AFRICAN SUB REGION: A STUDY OF THE POST COLONIAL PERIOD

Summary/Abstract: Integration and Trade are special competitive phenomenon that must exist to each other valid. Prior to the colonial days trade as always existed between the West African States and their colonial giants. However, it is no longer news that during this era trade was not of mutual benefits essence due to the experiences of cheap export from colonies and cost import from colonial masters. It is `within this vein that foreign nations of the western states gain much financial prowess above the African states, thus trade in west in African could be liken to clientele approach were west African countries are not free to be equal partners in business. This and many other glaring effects of colonialism led to a home front fight against the shackles of colonialism that within the region. With so many decades of decolonization in Africa there is supposed to be a better life, good governance, peace and equal as well as competitive development and advancement with other western societies. Moreover, this can only be achieved through effective trade and collective integration within the sub region as no nation, people or continent can thrive better without integrative togetherness. This resonate a drive to thoroughly investigate the extent of integration and trade in the west African sub region even after independence has been achieved as a people and as a continent. The study synthesizes its discovery from primary and secondary sources of data, with this it was established that even after independence has been achieved west African states still struggles with real achievement as far as trade and integration are concern. Some of the reasons behind the setback are: debt relief, membership of other foreign organizations, crisis and political instability, lack of modern technology among others. The paper recommends that: Africa should continue to be as the center piece of her foreign policy, trade barriers should be eradicated and a common currency among others.

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