ECOWAS Parliament seeks stronger regional trade participation

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The ECOWAS Parliament has called for stronger participation in regional trade across West Africa, urging businesses and citizens to take greater advantage of existing integration frameworks aimed at boosting cross-border commerce and economic cooperation.

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The call was made in Abuja on Thursday during a press briefing to announce private sector activities marking the Parliament’s 25th anniversary.

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Speaking at the event, the Director of Parliamentary Affairs and Research at the ECOWAS Parliament, Mr Kabeer Garba, who represented the Speaker, Mémounatou Ibrahima, said regional trade and innovation must translate into improved welfare for citizens across the subregion.

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Garba said the Parliament was established to ensure that West Africans benefit from regional programmes, including the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme and the free movement protocol.

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He said, “The Parliament is supposed to represent the people of the West African region. Our greatest strength as an ECOWAS institution is the fact that we represent the people. We are providing a voice for the people.”

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According to him, awareness remains a major challenge, noting that many traders and citizens across the region are still unaware of the economic opportunities available under regional integration policies.

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Garba added that the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme allows traders to move goods across borders and establish businesses in other member states, stressing that greater participation by citizens and entrepreneurs is necessary for the region’s economic integration to succeed.

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“The idea is that the Parliament should be able to conscientize the people and carry them along so that they take maximum advantage of these programmes that exist within ECOWAS,” he said.

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He also noted that trade and innovation would play a key role in the anniversary activities.

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“ECOWAS is not meaningful to the people if it does not boost their welfare. If we are talking about trade and innovation, that is very key because beyond explaining the programmes, we also have to think about how the people will fare and how to put food on their table,” he added.

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Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of Duchess Naturals Limited, Dr Victoria Akai, said the private sector was partnering with the ECOWAS Parliament to translate regional policies into practical economic opportunities for businesses and citizens.

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Akai said the anniversary programme would focus on strengthening trade, entrepreneurship and innovation across West Africa.

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“As the private sector continues to expand its role across trade, innovation and investment, ECOWAS institutions remain critical partners in shaping a more integrated and prosperous regional economy,” she said.

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She added that the year-long programme would bring together policymakers, entrepreneurs, innovators and youth across several member states.

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According to her, the programme will feature initiatives such as the ECOWAS Smart Challenge, regional trade forums and community outreach campaigns aimed at strengthening economic cooperation in the subregion.

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“For us in the private sector, ECOWAS at 25 represents more than a celebration. It is an opportunity to strengthen partnerships that translate regional policy into real economic opportunity for citizens and businesses across West Africa,” she said.

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In her remarks, the Managing Partner of Borderless Trade and Investment, Dr Olori Boye-Ajayi, said the anniversary programme would serve as a platform to deepen collaboration among policymakers, entrepreneurs and financial institutions across the region.

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She said the initiative would bring together stakeholders from several ECOWAS countries to explore new opportunities for cross-border commerce.

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“What we intend to do is to bring together policymakers, entrepreneurs, innovators, youth and civil society to deepen regional collaboration,” she said.

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Boye-Ajayi noted that business-to-business forums and policy dialogues would be organised in cities including Abidjan, Yamoussoukro, Accra, Lomé, Freetown, Abuja and Lagos to facilitate trade and investment.

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She explained that the activities would take place in several countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Cabo Verde, Togo and Sierra Leone.

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Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the press briefing, the Head of Global Trade and Structured Finance at Providus Bank, Dr Biodun Ariyo, said financial institutions also have a critical role to play in supporting regional trade growth.

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He said banks were partnering with regional institutions to expand trade financing and support cross-border transactions.

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“One of the key ingredients is trade, and that’s why we are quite happy to partner with the ECOWAS Parliament as well as other institutions that are part of it,” Ariyo said.

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According to him, platforms that connect businesses across borders are essential for expanding economic activity in the region.

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“Trade spread needs some networking, and this is just a channel to get that done because essentially, if there is no exchange of goods, services and ideas, there will be no need for trade,” he said.

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He added that the partnership would enable the bank to support cross-border commerce and deepen financial access for businesses operating within the region.

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The ECOWAS Parliament was created to give citizens of West Africa representation in the regional integration process, following the signing of a protocol establishing it on 6 August 1994, and its first legislature was inaugurated on 16 November 2000 in Bamako, Mali.

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The anniversary programme is expected to culminate in a closing ceremony scheduled for November 2026 in Abuja, bringing together policymakers, entrepreneurs and regional stakeholders to review progress in West Africa’s economic integration efforts.

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