Southeast Gears Up for ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Workshop in Enugu
October 26, 2025 | Enugu
The business community across Nigeria’s South-East geopolitical zone is set for a major economic convergence as Enugu hosts the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Summit on Tuesday, October 28, 2025.
The event, scheduled to hold at the International Conference Centre, Independence Layout, Enugu, is organised by the ECOWAS National Unit of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Enugu State Government. Governor Peter Mbah will serve as Chief Host, while the Honourable Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, will officially host the high-profile regional workshop.
According to Dr. Magnus Eze, Special Assistant on Communication and New Media to the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS), established in 1979, is a central instrument for promoting regional economic integration and boosting cross-border commerce among West African nations. The scheme provides duty-free market access for goods certified as originating within ECOWAS, thereby encouraging local manufacturing, innovation, and competitiveness.
Dr. Eze explained that the effective implementation of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme will significantly reduce import dependency, foster entrepreneurship, and generate employment. He disclosed that Nigeria currently accounts for 36.1 percent of all registered companies under the ETLS across the sub-region—amounting to 3,146 firms and more than 6,000 certified products. “In 2024 alone, 800 companies and 419 products were newly registered,” he added.
Despite its promise, the scheme remains underutilised due to limited awareness among small businesses and informal traders. The Enugu sensitisation workshop therefore seeks to close this knowledge gap by educating participants on the benefits, eligibility criteria, certification process, and documentation procedures required to export goods duty-free across the ECOWAS market.
The one-day ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation programme will attract entrepreneurs, SMEs, members of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), exporters, agro-processors, and women in business. With the theme “Increasing Intra-regional Trade through ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme,” the workshop underscores the region’s commitment to inclusive economic growth and cross-border cooperation.
Dr. Eze emphasised that the processing of ETLS applications in Nigeria is free, urging the Southeast business community to take advantage of the opportunity to learn how to export their products duty-free to other West African countries.
The ministry expressed optimism that the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Summit in Enugu will strengthen compliance with ECOWAS regulations, enhance intra-African trade, and empower small businesses to participate more effectively in regional value chains. http://gmtnewsng.com
