Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali Introduce 0.5% Import Tax to Fund New Economic Union

Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali have introduced a 0.5% import tax on all goods coming from outside their borders as they push forward with plans to form a new economic bloc and disengage from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

According to a joint statement, the tax was approved on Friday and takes immediate effect. However, humanitarian aid is exempt from the levy.

The decision to impose the new import duty marks a major shift, officially severing decades-long free trade within West Africa. It further deepens the divide between these military-led states and democratic nations like Nigeria and Ghana.

The three Sahara-bordering countries announced their intent to leave ECOWAS last year, citing the bloc’s failure to support their fight against Islamist insurgents. In response, ECOWAS imposed financial, political, and economic sanctions on them, demanding a return to constitutional governance a move that has had little effect.

Beyond its economic significance, the tax is seen as a fundraising mechanism for the new Burkina Faso-Niger-Mali alliance, which aims to establish biometric passports, military cooperation, and stronger economic ties.

Over the past decade, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have been devastated by Islamist insurgencies linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. The ongoing violence has:

• Killed thousands
• Displaced millions
• Weakened trust in democratically elected governments

Frustrated by ECOWAS and international partners, the three juntas are now forging their own path, prioritizing security, sovereignty, and economic independence.

With the import tax now in effect, the world watches closely to see how this breakaway alliance will reshape West Africa’s political and economic landscape.