The Economic Community of West African States was created in 1975 with the signature of the Treaty of Lagos. The main objectives of the ECOWAS were the promotion of trade, free movement of people and goods, a monetary union, development cooperation and development of agriculture towards self-sufficiency. The institutions of ECOWAS are the Authority of Heads of States and Government, the Council of Ministers, the Commission (before Secretariat), the Community Parliament, the Community Court of Justice and the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID).

The ECOWAS Commission and the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development, more often called The Fund are its two main institutions designed to implement policies, pursue a number of programmes and carry out development projects in member states. Such projects include intra-community road construction and telecommunications, agricultural, energy and water resources development.