Toward a seamless West African economy
When the International Trade Centre’s West Africa Competitiveness Programme (WACOMP) was launched six years ago, the region already had a strong foundation for regional trade. But in practice, regional business groups weren’t always coordinating their efforts. Some had outdated legal structures that kept then for formalizing their work across the 15 countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
As WACOMP completed its work in November 2024, the business landscape had dramatically changed. By advancing partnerships across borders, the project made it easier for small businesses to trade, while giving trade and investment groups a leg up in supporting entrepreneurs.
It’s a tall order to promote investment and trade across a region that includes both Nigeria, the biggest economy on the continent, and Liberia – which is among the smallest.
That’s what the Investment Promotion Agencies of West African States (IPAWAS) sets out to do, by gathering under one umbrella the national organizations that work to attract business to the region.
With WACOMP’s technical assistance, the organization re-registered in Nigeria and updated its governance structure. By strengthening the organization and its members, IPAWAS gained better access to global investment networks.
WACOMP also facilitated investment networking sessions, and sent a delegation to the ECOWAS Investment Forum 2024.
‘We need better strategies to attract investments and connect with the right partners. IPAWAS provides the platform for this,’ one participant at the Forum said.
Trade promotion
The project also worked with the ECOWAS Trade Promotion Organization Network (ETPON), updating its legal registration in Nigeria in November 2024. This allows the network to formalize collaborations with trade promotion organizations across ECOWAS. With WACOMP’s assistance, the group developed governance structures, memoranda of understanding, and operational guidelines that enabled ETPON to coordinate joint trade missions and enhance market access for small businesses.
WACOMP also played a key role in advancing the ECOWAS Business Council (EBC), which is set to officially launch in May 2025. The programme supported the development of critical documents and strategies to ensure a strong foundation for Council’s long-term success.
WACOMP also ran workshops and other training sessions so the regional groups can better advocate for small businesses, contributing to regional integration and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The programme also worked to improve trade along the Abidjan-Lagos corridor, which links four countries on one of the continent’s busiest land routes. By supporting the Federation of West African Chambers of Commerce and Industry and its national members, key chambers signed deals to reduce border delays and streamline regulations, making it easier for small businesses to trade along the corridor.
About the project
The West African Competitiveness Programme (WACOMP) is financed by the European Union under the 11th European Development Fund. The programme aims to strengthen the competitiveness of West African countries and enhance their integration into the regional and international trading system. ITC implements the programme in cooperation with UNIDO and under the overall guidance of the ECOWAS Commission. The overall objective of the programme is 'to strengthen the competitiveness of West Africa through an enhanced level of production, transformation and export capacities of the private sector in line with regional and national industrial and MSME strategies'.
