The First Vice President of the ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians Association (ECOFEPA), Hon. Zainab Gimba, has called on governments in ECOWAS Member States to support women through effective policies, accessible financing, improved trade infrastructure, and simplified procedures.
She made the call on behalf of the President of ECOFEPA while delivering a keynote address at an Executive Masterclass in Accra on Friday, 25th September 2026.
The event was held during the 2026 Second Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament and the Second 2026 Parliamentary Seminar.
The seminar was themed: “Climate Change as a Driver of Environmental Degradation, Population Displacement, and Growing Insecurity in the ECOWAS Region.”
The Vice President issued a call to action to governments, financial institutions, and development partners to support women through effective policies, accessible financing, improved trade infrastructure, and simplified procedures.
She emphasized that investing in women goes beyond gender equality, serving as a critical economic development and political strategy for a prosperous future.
“Let us transform knowledge into action, opportunities into enterprises, enterprises into jobs, and economic participation into lasting prosperity,” she urged.
She emphasized that women must be recognized not just as participants, but as primary drivers of trade, investment, and innovation in West Africa.
Hon. Gimba expressed profound appreciation to the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Hon. Hadja Memounatou Ibrahima, for her unwavering commitment to ensuring ECOFEPA assumes its rightful place as a leading champion of women and youth inclusion in politics.
Furthermore, she extended sincere gratitude to the Honorable Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection of Ghana for her invaluable support in mobilizing delegates and for her presence at the gathering.
She highlighted the significant economic potential of the ECOWAS region, driven by its youth population, natural resources, and growing digital economy.
However, she noted that despite these potentials, many women continue to face significant barriers, including limited access to finance, market information, technology, and inadequate representation in decision-making processes.
She stressed that these challenges are particularly acute for women seeking to transition from small-scale businesses into formal, competitive, and export-oriented enterprises.
Central to the discourse was the concept of “political readiness.” Hon. Gimba argued that economic leadership and political empowerment are deeply interconnected.
She posited that a woman who runs a successful enterprise develops not only income but also the confidence, networks, and leadership experience necessary to influence policies that determine whether businesses can grow and trade can flourish.
“We need women who are not only prepared to enter the marketplace but also prepared to sit at the tables where decisions about trade, investment, finance, and regional integration are made,” she stated.
To unlock the export opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Hon. Gimba urged women entrepreneurs to master the technicalities of international commerce, including standards, certification, packaging, branding, logistics, and digital commerce.
She explained that the Masterclass was specifically designed to bridge this knowledge gap, equipping participants to be better prepared and positioned to take their products and services into regional and international markets.
A Call to Action to Governments
She challenged the governments of the ECOWAS Member States, financial institutions, and development partners to support women through effective policies, accessible financing, improved trade infrastructure, and simplified procedures.
She emphasized that investing in women goes beyond gender equality, serving as a critical economic development and political strategy for a prosperous future.
“Let us transform knowledge into action, opportunities into enterprises, enterprises into jobs, and economic participation into lasting prosperity,” she urged.
