ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-The ECOWAS Parliament has called for increased participation in regional trade across West Africa, urging businesses and citizens to take fuller advantage of existing integration frameworks designed to promote cross-border commerce and economic cooperation.
The appeal was made in Abuja on Thursday during a press briefing announcing private sector activities to commemorate the Parliament’s 25th anniversary.
Speaking at the event, the Director of Parliamentary Affairs and Research at the ECOWAS Parliament, Kabeer Garba, who represented the Speaker, Mémounatou Ibrahima, said regional trade and innovation must translate into tangible improvements in the welfare of citizens across the subregion.
Garba explained that the Parliament was created to ensure West Africans benefit from regional initiatives such as the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme and the free movement protocol.
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, limited awareness remains a major obstacle, as many traders and citizens across the region are still unaware of the economic opportunities available through regional integration policies.
Garba noted that the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme allows traders to move goods across borders and establish businesses in other member states, adding that greater participation from citizens and entrepreneurs is essential for successful regional economic integration.
“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.
He further highlighted that trade and innovation would be central themes in the anniversary activities.
“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.
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of Duchess Naturals Limited, Victoria Akai, said the private sector is partnering with the ECOWAS Parliament to transform regional policies into practical economic opportunities for businesses and citizens.
Akai said the anniversary programme would focus on strengthening trade, entrepreneurship and innovation across West Africa.
“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.
She added that the year-long activities would bring together policymakers, entrepreneurs, innovators and youth from several member states.
According to her, the programme will 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. It is an opportunity to strengthen partnerships that translate regional policy into real economic opportunity for citizens and businesses across West Africa,” she said.
In her remarks, the Managing Partner of Borderless Trade and Investment, Olori Boye-Ajayi, said the anniversary activities would provide a platform to deepen collaboration among policymakers, entrepreneurs and financial institutions across the region.
She explained that the initiative would bring together stakeholders from several ECOWAS countries to explore new opportunities for cross-border trade.
“What we intend to do is to bring together policymakers, entrepreneurs, innovators, youth and civil society to deepen regional collaboration,” she said.
Boye-Ajayi added that business-to-business forums and policy dialogues would be organised in cities such as Abidjan, Yamoussoukro, Accra, Lomé, Freetown, Abuja and Lagos to promote trade and investment.
She noted that the activities would take place across several countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Cabo Verde, Togo and Sierra Leone.
Speaking with journalists on the sidelines of the briefing, the Head of Global Trade and Structured Finance at Providus Bank, Biodun Ariyo, said financial institutions also play a crucial role in supporting regional trade expansion.
He noted that banks are partnering with regional institutions to expand trade financing and facilitate cross-border transactions.
“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.
According to him, platforms that connect businesses across borders are vital for expanding economic activity within the region.
“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.
He added that the partnership would enable the bank to support cross-border commerce and improve 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 following the signing of a protocol creating it on August 6, 1994. Its first legislature was inaugurated on November 16, 2000, in Bamako.
The 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.