Ghana Petitions ECOWAS Over Nigeria’s Treatment of Coy, Accuses Trade Minister Of Inaction

By Emma Okere

16 December 2025

News

Nigeria’s closest ally and most strategic partner in West Africa sub-region, Ghana, has reported Nigeria to the regional body, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for what it described as the harassment of a Ghanaian investor in Nigeria.

During the ECOWAS Ministers’ conference held on 12 December 2025, Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs publicly condemned what he described as the harassment of a Ghanaian investor in Nigeria.

It is gathered that the matter has now been formally referred to ECOWAS for investigation, elevating it into a regional diplomatic concern. It is further gathered that despite being formally petitioned, Nigeria’s Minister of Trade has yet to issue a public response as at press time.

Trouble started when allegations surfaced that Ghanaian-owned companies operating in Nigeria were subjected to an extraordinary corporate expropriation by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), a development that could trigger a Nigeria–Ghana trade dispute.

At the center of the controversy is Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, the Registrar-General of Nigeria’s Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

According to petitions before the National Assembly and ECOWAS, Magaji, acting through the CAC, allegedly approved the expropriation and reassignment of shares belonging to JonahCapital Nigeria Limited and Houses for Africa Nigeria Limited, companies owned by a prominent Ghanaian investor. These actions are said to have been taken despite an express directive from the Attorney General of the Federation.

The alleged expropriation reportedly occurred while court proceedings were already pending, with formal service effected on the CAC on November 28, 2025.

The petition was written on behalf of the two companies, Jonah Capital Nigeria Ltd and Houses for Africa Nigeria Ltd in which the CAC registrar allegedly altered some corporate records to favour a contending party.

The petition was presented to the House of Representatives by Hon Muktar Tolani Shagaya from the Ilorin West Federal Constituency of Kwara State.

Speaking during the plenary presided over by Hon Benjamin Kalu, the Deputy Speaker, Hon Shagaya said, “Mr Speaker, I rise this morning to lay a petition before this Honourable House, signed by Kojo Mensah Ansah.

In a statement issued by Kojo Ansah Mensah, CEO of JonahCapital Nigeria Ltd and one of the Ghanaian investors in the estate, he noted that on December 8, 2025, the Registrar-General “unlawfully altered” the ownership structure of both companies.

The registrar did this despite a court action and a standing directive from the Attorney-General’s office instructing the CAC to halt any such changes pending investigation.

According to Mensah, the Attorney-General, through the Solicitor-General, had on September 24, 2025 directed the CAC to place a caveat on the company’s records until the office of the AGF’s review of the forgery allegation made against investors Sir Samuel Jonah KBE, Kojo Mensah, Victor Quainoo and their Nigerian lawyer Abu Arome Esq.

Mensah said that despite being served with court Originating summons, several weeks before December 8, the Registrar-General went ahead to effect the controversial changes.

Following the changes, Mensah said individuals newly “coronated” as directors, immediately notified banks to close the companies’ accounts and wrote to the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, announcing a purported takeover.

“These hurried actions are designed to disrupt the operations of the company”, Mensah stated.