Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso withdrawing from ECOWAS amounts to a colossal act of economic self-sabotage. Isolating yourself from your closest neighbours amid an epic economic crisis is profoundly unwise, and unfortunately, ordinary citizens, who are led to believe this action serves their interests, will be the primary victims. Moreover, these countries lack an alternative to ECOWAS. This imprudent decision was driven solely by the narrow, narcissistic ego of the military juntas holding these nations hostage.