ABSTRACT
This chapter is used to construct the analytical framework for considering regional integration throughout the monograph and for identifying and exploring the various ways in which law can be used to successfully achieve the objectives of the Treaty of Abuja and thereby support the establishment of an African Economic Community. Regional integration in Africa, in its contemporary form, has a long history, dating back to the end of the nineteenth century during the colonial period, when early attempts towards the grouping of countries could be observed in several parts of the continent. Development can be defined as the understanding of the different factors and conditions required to achieve human well-being and increased living standards. The developmental state can be defined as a state which essence is determined by "developmentalist" ideological underpinnings or a state that conceives its primary mission as that of promoting economic development.
