This report sets out the history of nationality law in West Africa from pre-colonial times to the present day. It looks at nationality administration in practice today, and identifies some of the major blockages. It discusses the populations most at risk of statelessness, above all among migrants and their descendants, and describes the ECOWAS treaty regime relating to free movement and migration in the West Africa region, and the challenges in implementing these commitments. A summary of high-level conclusions from the research for this report is elaborated on, and, finally, a comprehensive set of recommendations is provided.