ECOWAS secretariat is located in

Analyze the question: The question asks where the headquarters (secretariat) of ECOWAS, the Economic Community of West African States, is located.

Explain the concept: ECOWAS was formed on 28 May 1975 with the Treaty of Lagos. It promotes economic integration, free movement of people and goods, and regional cooperation among West African states. Its main institutions include:

• The Commission, formerly called the Executive Secretariat, which is the administrative headquarters
• The ECOWAS Parliament, located in Abuja
• The ECOWAS Court of Justice, located in Abuja
• The ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), located in Lomé, Togo

Step-by-step solution:

1. The ECOWAS Treaty was signed in Lagos, Nigeria, in 1975.
2. The Executive Secretariat was established in Nigeria, the largest member economy and a founding force behind the organisation.
3. The headquarters moved to the new federal capital, Abuja, where the ECOWAS Commission is located today at the ECOWAS Commission building in Asokoro.
4. The other options are not correct. Accra, Conakry, Freetown and Monrovia host other regional or national bodies, but not the ECOWAS secretariat. For example, Freetown and Monrovia are associated with the Mano River Union, and Accra hosts other regional offices.

Answer: The ECOWAS secretariat is in Abuja, Nigeria, which is option A.

Exam tip: Remember "ECOWAS = Abuja" and link it with Nigeria's role as the founder and largest member. For other regional bodies, remember: EBID is in Lomé, WAMZ is in Accra, and the AU is in Addis Ababa. Questions about organisation headquarters appear often in Economics and Government papers, so a short list of these is worth memorising.