African leaders met on Sunday to launch a continental free-trade zone that if successful would unite 1.3 billion people, create a $3.4 trillion economic bloc and usher in a new era of development.

Liz Truss under pressure to explain why punishing levies being charged - despite announcement that UK-Ghana deal was struck.

Lack of time, an election and regional trade tensions have made agreeing a deal tricky.

‘People in Ghana are very angry. They do not understand why Britain is acting like a bully’

Liz Truss urged to sign off deals quickly to spare African states high tariffs once Brexit transition period ends.

The launch of the operational phase of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) is expected later this week, while the 15 ECOWAS countries, adopted ‘ECO’ as the name of the region’s planned shared currency, and agreed for a flexible currency regime towards improving integration and trade in the region.

As many as 15 countries in West Africa have agreed to adopt a single currency, called ECO, next year.

Fifteen countries in West Africa have agreed to adopt a single currency next year called the eco.

As part of its plans to make Africa a more integrated continent, leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have adopted the name 'ECO' for a planned single currency to be used in the region.

There was spontaneous applause as Africa’s largest economy Nigeria signed up to a deal that experts say could provide far-reaching benefits, but only if it is implemented properly.

After four years of talks, African leaders announced an agreement to form a 55-nation trade bloc.

While debates about the unpredictability of economic and political relationships between the EU and Britain continue to linger, thousands of miles away, the African Union (AU) is creating a close-knit relationship among its own 55 member nations.

The ECOWAS Parliament also requested the authority of heads of state and government to take a firm stand regarding compliance with the 2020 deadline for the establishment of the ECOWAS single currency.

"The Regulation defines a harmonized legal and tariff framework for roaming on public mobile communication networks within ECOWAS Member States and will solve the problem of high cost of roaming services in the region through the elimination or reduction of call tariffs, SMS charges and data costs, among others."