The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has called on business owners in the South-East to take advantage of duty-free trade opportunities available under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) to strengthen regional commerce and economic cooperation across West Africa.
In a statement by her Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Dr Magnus Eze, the minister highlighted the importance of the ETLS ahead of a regional sensitisation workshop scheduled to hold on October 28, 2025, in Enugu. The event is organised by the ECOWAS National Unit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Enugu State Government.
Established in 1979, the ETLS serves as a key instrument for promoting regional integration, enabling duty-free access for goods produced within ECOWAS member states. It aims to deepen intra-regional trade, reduce dependency on imports, foster industrial growth, and promote job creation across the 15 member countries.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu noted that Nigeria continues to play a leading role in the implementation of the scheme, accounting for 36.1 per cent of registered companies within the region. She disclosed that a total of 3,146 Nigerian firms and over 6,000 products have been certified under the ETLS, with 800 companies and 419 products added in 2024 alone.
Despite its potential, the minister observed that the scheme remains underutilised, particularly among Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), traders, and public sector actors, many of whom lack adequate awareness of the benefits, eligibility criteria, and application procedures.
She said the Enugu workshop is designed to bridge this knowledge gap by educating participants on the rules of origin, certification requirements, and documentation processes necessary to benefit from the scheme. The sensitisation, she added, will enhance compliance, streamline ETLS application processes, which remain free in Nigeria, and ultimately increase intra-ECOWAS trade, especially among SMEs and informal traders.
Expected participants include women entrepreneurs, exporters, agro-processors, and members of business associations such as the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA).
The one-day event, themed “Increasing Intra-Regional Trade through ETLS,” will be hosted by Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah at the International Conference Centre, with Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu serving as chief host.
