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The ECOWAS Parliament has urged businesses, entrepreneurs, and citizens across West Africa to increase their participation in regional trade, emphasising the importance of fully utilising existing integration frameworks designed to promote cross-border commerce and economic cooperation.
The call was made during a press briefing in Abuja to announce private-sector activities marking the Parliament’s 25th anniversary.
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 ultimately translate into improved welfare for citizens across the subregion.
Garba explained that the Parliament was established to ensure that people across West Africa benefit from regional initiatives such as the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme and the ECOWAS Free Movement Protocol.
According to him, the institution’s core mandate is to represent the interests of West African citizens within the regional integration framework.
“Our greatest strength as an ECOWAS institution is that we represent the people of the region,” he said. “The Parliament provides a voice for citizens across West Africa.”
Garba noted, however, that limited awareness remains a major barrier to wider participation in regional trade programmes. Many traders and entrepreneurs, he said, are still unaware of the opportunities created by regional integration policies.
He explained that the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme enables traders to move goods across borders and establish businesses in other member states, adding that broader participation by citizens and businesses is essential to achieving the goals of regional economic integration.
“The idea is for the Parliament to sensitise citizens and carry them along so they can take maximum advantage of the programmes that exist within ECOWAS,” he said.
Garba also emphasised that trade and innovation would be central themes of the anniversary activities, noting that regional integration must deliver tangible benefits for citizens.
“ECOWAS is not meaningful to the people if it does not improve their welfare,” he said. “When we talk about trade and innovation, we must also consider how these programmes improve livelihoods and support economic opportunities for people across the region.”
Also speaking at the briefing, the Chief Executive Officer of Duchess Naturals Limited, Dr. Victoria Akai, said the private sector is partnering with the ECOWAS Parliament to help translate regional policies into practical economic opportunities.
According to her, the anniversary programme will focus on strengthening entrepreneurship, trade, and innovation throughout West Africa.
“As the private sector continues to expand its role across trade, innovation, and investment, ECOWAS institutions remain critical partners in building a more integrated and prosperous regional economy,” she said.
Akai explained that the year-long programme will bring together policymakers, entrepreneurs, innovators, and youth from several member states. Planned activities include initiatives such as the ECOWAS Smart Challenge, regional trade forums, and community outreach campaigns aimed at strengthening economic cooperation across the subregion.
“For us in the private sector, ECOWAS at 25 represents more than a celebration,” she said. “It is an opportunity to deepen partnerships that convert regional policy into real economic opportunity for citizens and businesses.”
In her remarks, the Managing Partner of Borderless Trade and Investment, Dr. Olori Boye-Ajayi, said the anniversary programme would also provide a platform for deeper collaboration among policymakers, entrepreneurs, and financial institutions across the region.
She explained that stakeholders from multiple ECOWAS countries will gather to explore new opportunities for cross-border commerce.
“What we intend to do is bring together policymakers, entrepreneurs, innovators, youth, and civil society to strengthen regional collaboration,” she said.
Boye-Ajayi added that business-to-business forums and policy dialogues will be organised in cities such as Abidjan, Yamoussoukro, Accra, Lomé, Freetown, Abuja, and Lagos to facilitate trade and investment opportunities.
She noted that the activities will span several countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Cabo Verde, Togo, and Sierra Leone.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, the Head of Global Trade and Structured Finance at Providus Bank, Dr. Biodun Ariyo, highlighted the important role financial institutions play in supporting regional trade expansion.
He said banks are partnering with regional organisations to strengthen trade financing and facilitate cross-border transactions.
“One of the key ingredients is trade, and that is why we are pleased to partner with the ECOWAS Parliament and other institutions involved,” Ariyo said.
According to him, platforms that connect businesses across borders are essential for driving economic activity and regional integration.
“Trade requires networking. If there is no exchange of goods, services, and ideas, then trade cannot exist,” he added.
He noted that the partnership will enable financial institutions to support cross-border commerce while expanding financial access for businesses operating within the region.
The ECOWAS Parliament was established to provide citizens of West Africa with representation in the regional integration process. The protocol establishing the Parliament was signed on 6 August 1994, while its first legislature was inaugurated on 16 November 2000 in Bamako, Mali.
The 25th anniversary programme is expected to conclude with a closing ceremony scheduled for November 2026 in Abuja, where policymakers, entrepreneurs, and regional stakeholders will review progress in West Africa’s economic integration efforts.
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