The ECOWAS Parliament has adopted a resolution aimed at fully implementing the region’s trade and investment protocols, eliminating non-tariff barriers, investing in trade-supporting infrastructure, and strengthening national monitoring mechanisms to improve the business environment.
The resolution was reached at the climax of a weeklong delocalized meeting held in Cotonou, Republic of Benin. It seeks to create a predictable and business-friendly environment for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in West Africa by advocating harmonized customs procedures, import regulations, taxation policies, and business registration requirements.
The resolution was conveyed by the Co-Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Alhagie S. Darboe, who emphasized “the need for full implementation of ECOWAS trade and investment protocols, elimination of non-tariff barriers, investment in trade-supporting infrastructure, and strengthening of national monitoring mechanisms to improve the business environment.”
He disclosed that the joint committee of the regional parliament also recommended the adoption of enabling legal, regulatory, and fiscal frameworks to promote entrepreneurship, support the transition of informal enterprises into the formal economy, encourage local value addition, and enhance MSME competitiveness.
According to him, this will improve market governance and protect traders by ensuring transparent allocation and management of market facilities, providing accessible tenancy agreements, reviewing restrictive trading practices, and addressing unlawful harassment of traders.
“The committee also recommended expanding financial inclusion initiatives and access to affordable finance, particularly for women-owned and youth-led MSMEs, to improve productivity and participation in regional value chains,” he said.
He added that the parliament has charged the ECOWAS Commission to strengthen the implementation of the ECOWAS MSME Development Policy (2021–2030) through enterprise support centers, business support programs, entrepreneurship development initiatives, and digital skills enhancement.
The Regional Parliament also urged the Commission to establish and strengthen export support and assistance mechanisms along major trade corridors and at strategic border points to provide guidance to exporters, facilitate compliance with trade requirements, and reduce administrative bottlenecks affecting intra-regional trade.
The committee further recommended accelerating the harmonization and implementation of ECOWAS product standards, certification, and quality assurance mechanisms to ensure consistent requirements for goods traded across member states and enhance access to regional and continental markets.
Hon. Darboe noted that the committee has resolved to strengthen the implementation of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) and related trade facilitation initiatives by simplifying procedures, improving awareness among businesses, eliminating non-tariff barriers, and enhancing transparency in cross-border trade processes.
He explained that this will also promote regional value chain development by encouraging industries to source semi-processed raw materials and intermediate inputs from within the Community, thereby reducing dependence on extra-regional imports and strengthening industrial integration.
The committee also recommended supporting the development of inclusive industrial and agricultural clusters, including producer networks and value-chain platforms, to attract investment, improve productivity, facilitate access to finance, and enhance the competitiveness of regional enterprises.
Another area highlighted was investment in regional industrial and agricultural clusters by developing financing instruments that enable producers and value-chain actors to expand production capacity and integrate into regional markets.
Speaking with newsmen at the sidelines of the meeting, Hon. Pascal Agbodike said Nigerian parliamentarians in the ECOWAS Parliament will engage with lawmakers in Nigeria to ensure that the resolutions are implemented. Agbodike, Chairman of the Nigerian House of Representatives Committee on SMEs, stressed that complaints raised about the country’s borders will be addressed holistically.
Moreover, the lawmakers of the Community Parliament further charged the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) to expand access to affordable and tailored financing for MSMEs through innovative mechanisms, including credit guarantee schemes, concessional financing windows, and risk-sharing instruments targeting women and youth-led enterprises.
The Parliament also pledged to promote stronger political commitment among member states towards implementing ECOWAS protocols and policies aimed at improving market access, industrial development, and regional economic integration.
The weeklong delocalized meeting in Cotonou was conducted by the ECOWAS Parliament’s Joint Committee on Industry and Private Sector, Macroeconomic Policy and Economic Research, Administration, Finance and Budget, and Public Accounts Committees under the theme “Empowering MSMEs as Formal Drivers of ECOWAS Regional Value Chains.”
It is believed that if the resolutions reached at the end of this meeting are implemented by all stakeholders, the dream of a business-friendly ECOWAS will become a reality.
