Protectionism in Africa Raises Concern Over Continent’s Free Trade Deal

African countries are trying to tear down barriers to commerce through a continent-wide trade pact, but developments in West Africa show some immediate neighbors prefer to keep the fences up.

While 54 of the 55 countries recognized by the African Union have signed the agreement that’s expected to eliminate cross-border tariffs on 90% of goods and facilitate movement of money and people, some 27 members have yet to ratify it, including Nigeria, the continent’s biggest economy.