ECOWAS Parliament moves to end border bottlenecks, orders sweeping reforms to boost regional trade

The ECOWAS Parliament has launched a fresh push to dismantle the bureaucratic and regulatory barriers stifling trade across West Africa, adopting far-reaching recommendations aimed at harmonising customs procedures, eliminating non-tariff barriers and expanding access to finance for millions of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

The resolutions, adopted at the end of a week-long delocalised joint committee meeting in Cotonou, Benin Republic, represent one of the strongest legislative interventions in recent years to tackle the persistent border bottlenecks that continue to frustrate the ECOWAS vision of a borderless regional market nearly five decades after the bloc was established.

The lawmakers said inconsistent customs procedures, multiple taxation, cumbersome import regulations, poor infrastructure and harassment of traders have continued to undermine regional integration, inflate the cost of doing business and limit the competitiveness of indigenous enterprises.

Presenting the resolutions on Friday, Co-Chairman of the Joint Committee, Hon. Alhagie Darbo, said member states must urgently harmonise customs procedures, import regulations, taxation policies and business registration requirements to create a predictable and business-friendly environment capable of driving investment, industrialisation and job creation across the sub-region.

He said the Parliament also called for the full implementation of ECOWAS trade and investment protocols, elimination of non-tariff barriers, increased investment in trade-supporting infrastructure and stronger national monitoring mechanisms to improve the ease of doing business.

The regional lawmakers urged governments to adopt legal, regulatory and fiscal reforms that encourage entrepreneurship, support the transition of informal businesses into the formal economy, promote local value addition and improve the competitiveness of MSMEs.

Recognising the growing complaints by traders over market administration and extortion, the Parliament further recommended transparent management of market facilities, accessible tenancy agreements, review of restrictive trading practices and decisive action against unlawful harassment of traders.

To address one of the biggest constraints facing small businesses, the Parliament also advocated expanded financial inclusion programmes and affordable financing, particularly for women-owned and youth-led enterprises, to enable them participate more effectively in regional value chains.

The ECOWAS Commission was directed to strengthen implementation of the ECOWAS MSME Development Policy (2021-2030) through enterprise support centres, business development programmes, entrepreneurship initiatives and digital skills development.

The lawmakers equally called for the establishment of export support centres along major trade corridors and strategic border posts to guide exporters, simplify compliance with trade regulations and reduce administrative delays that continue to hamper intra-regional commerce.

In another major recommendation, the Parliament urged accelerated harmonisation of ECOWAS product standards, certification and quality assurance systems to ensure goods produced within the region meet uniform requirements and enjoy easier access to regional and continental markets.

It also advocated stronger implementation of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) through simplified procedures, improved awareness among businesses, greater transparency and complete removal of non-tariff barriers.

To reduce the region’s dependence on imports from outside Africa, the Parliament called for deliberate policies encouraging industries to source semi-processed raw materials and intermediate products from within the Community, while supporting inclusive industrial and agricultural clusters capable of attracting investment, improving productivity and strengthening regional competitiveness.

The lawmakers further tasked the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) with expanding access to affordable financing through innovative instruments such as credit guarantee schemes, concessional lending windows and risk-sharing mechanisms targeted at MSMEs, especially businesses owned by women and young entrepreneurs.

Beyond financing, the bank was urged to support investment in regional industrial and agricultural clusters that would enable producers to increase capacity and integrate into regional markets.

The Parliament also pledged to intensify oversight of member states’ compliance with ECOWAS trade, industrialisation and MSME development frameworks while transmitting the resolutions to relevant regional institutions and pursuing sustained advocacy at the national level.

Speaking after the meeting, Chairman of Nigeria’s House of Representatives Committee on Small and Medium Enterprises and member of the ECOWAS Parliament, Hon. Pascal Agbodike, said Nigerian parliamentarians would immediately engage the National Assembly to ensure implementation of the recommendations.

He acknowledged the numerous complaints raised by traders over Nigeria’s borders, assuring that the concerns would receive comprehensive legislative attention.

The latest resolutions followed extensive field visits and town hall engagements with traders and business operators in Benin Republic, where participants recounted persistent delays at border crossings, multiple checkpoints, inconsistent customs practices and other barriers that continue to undermine the ECOWAS protocol on free movement of goods and services.

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The renewed legislative push comes at a critical time when West African governments are seeking to deepen regional integration, stimulate industrialisation and position the sub-region to maximise opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

If faithfully implemented by member states and regional institutions, the reforms could mark a significant turning point in dismantling long-standing trade obstacles, unlocking the growth potential of MSMEs and bringing the ECOWAS ambition of a truly integrated regional market closer to reality.