Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

ECOWAS merger control 2024–25: ERCA operational, thresholds and mandatory standstill, extraterritorial scope, control/material influence, joint venture rules, filing fees, review timelines and uncapped daily fines

Published by a LexisNexis Competition expert

Practice notes

NOTE—to check whether filing thresholds in ECOWAS and across the globe are met, consult Where to Notify.

1. Have there been any recent developments regarding the ECOWAS merger control regime and are any updates/developments expected in the coming year? Are there any other ‘hot’ merger control issues in ECOWAS?

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is a regional organisation comprising 12 member states (being, Benin, Cabo Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo). Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger withdrew from ECOWAS with effect from 29 January 2025. In May 2019, ECOWAS adopted a supra-national competition framework for its member states. The regional merger control system is anchored in Supplementary Act A/SA.1/12/08 on Community Competition Rules and the Modalities of Their Application within ECOWAS (Competition Rules Act 2008). In tandem, ECOWAS enacted the Supplementary Act A/SA.2/12/08 on the Establishment, Functions and Operation of the Regional Competition Authority for ECOWAS (ERCA Act 2008), thereby creating the ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority (ERCA). ERCA was designated as the regional body responsible for competition and merger oversight. Shortly after the ECOWAS merger control regime was developed, activity by the competent authorities halted. In early...

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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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