The Federal Government has called on the business community in the South East to take advantage of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) to enhance international trade and boost regional economic growth.
The ETLS, established in 1979, remains one of ECOWAS’s major trade instruments designed to promote regional integration and facilitate duty-free access for goods produced within the West African region. The scheme aims to encourage free movement of goods and services across member states, strengthen intra-regional trade, and support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in expanding their market reach.
Speaking in Enugu on Tuesday during a one-day workshop on modalities for participation in the ETLS, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Amb. Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu, emphasized the importance of the initiative for regional growth. The workshop was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ECOWAS National Unit in collaboration with the Enugu State Government.
Ojukwu described the programme as a timely initiative aimed at deepening regional integration through trade and empowering small businesses. “This initiative is timely, as it speaks directly to the urgent task before us, which is to deepen regional integration, expand cross-border trade, and empower our Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), to enable them to take their rightful place in the vast West African market,” she said.
She further noted that SMEs remain the “engine room” of the Nigerian economy, generating employment, driving innovation, and promoting inclusive prosperity. According to her, strengthening small businesses is not just a national priority but also a regional necessity that aligns with Africa’s broader economic ambitions.
“The ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme is not just a technical instrument, it is a strategic pillar of West Africa’s integration agenda. As the oldest operational trade policy of ECOWAS, it underpins the free movement of goods and services, complements the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, and anticipates the broader framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA),” Ojukwu stated.
She added that the ETLS represents both a gateway and a test case for Africa’s economic renaissance. “For Nigeria, as the largest economy in the region, leadership in this process is not optional, it is expected. Yet, the true measure of success lies not in Abuja or Lagos alone, but in how effectively local entrepreneurs, our traders, manufacturers, and innovators, are enabled to compete and thrive regionally. This workshop, therefore, is about democratizing opportunity, equipping SMEs with the knowledge, skills, and networks to transcend local boundaries and embrace the wider West African market,” she explained.
The minister lamented that despite the benefits of the scheme, participation remains low, as many stakeholders, including SMEs, traders, and public sector players, are still unaware of the ETLS’s potential advantages, eligibility criteria, and implementation process. She stressed that greater sensitization and collaboration are needed to ensure that local producers can benefit fully from duty-free export opportunities across the region.
“The objective of the ETLS Sensitization Programme in the South East is to promote understanding of the ETLS and to engage targeted stakeholders on how best to leverage the scheme,” she said.
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, represented by his Deputy, Ifeanyi Ossai, urged the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and financial institutions to support local industries to ensure they can compete effectively within the ECOWAS subregion.
Mbah expressed concern over the challenges faced by small-scale industries in accessing financial assistance, noting that financial institutions such as the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), Bank of Industry, and Bank of Agriculture often require collateral that many entrepreneurs cannot provide.
He said, “Many small-scale industries are not growing because they find it difficult to get financial assistance since financial institutions demand collateral before granting loans.”
Mbah called for the removal of trade barriers and financial bottlenecks that hinder growth, such as high-interest rates and stringent loan requirements. He stressed that true trade liberalization would only be achieved when local businesses are supported to expand and compete across borders.
He also lamented the decline in industrial performance in recent years, recalling a time when local industries flourished. “In the past, companies were doing well, trade was blossoming as Peugeot was producing in Kaduna, shoes were made in Aba, and ANAMMCO and other companies were thriving. But now, all seem to have nosedived,” he regretted.
The workshop concluded with calls for increased awareness, access to financing, and stronger partnerships between the public and private sectors to maximize the benefits of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme and strengthen Nigeria’s position in regional trade.