MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES IN ECOWAS EMPOWERED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OPPORTUNITIES UNDER AFCFTA
"The ECOWAS Commission, through its Directorate of Trade and its Directorate of Private Sector and Industry, in collaboration with the AfCFTA Secretariat and the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Sierra Leone, with the support of development partners such as the African Development Bank (AfDB), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the European Union, the […]"
The ECOWAS Commission, through its Directorate of Trade and its Directorate of Private Sector and Industry, in collaboration with the AfCFTA Secretariat and the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Sierra Leone, with the support of development partners such as the African Development Bank (AfDB), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the European Union, the BMZ, GIZ and the International Trade Centre (ITC), successfully launched from 6 to 8 May 2026 in Freetown, Sierra Leone, the Regional Assessment and Capacity Building Programme for Business Support Organizations (BSOs) and women and youth-owned enterprises in West Africa, focused on export readiness under the AfCFTA.
The initiative forms part of the implementation of the ECOWAS Regional Strategy for the Implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and aims to strengthen the export readiness and competitiveness of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), particularly those led by women and youth, while enhancing the capacity of Business Support Organisations to effectively support businesses engaging in regional and continental trade.
In his remarks, the Minister of Trade and Industry of Sierra Leone, Hon. Alpha Ibrahim Sesay, highlighted the importance of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) and AfCFTA in advancing regional and continental trade integration, while emphasizing the need to empower MSMEs through trade facilitation, export promotion, and skills development to drive economic growth and job creation.
"He encouraged participants to strengthen their export readiness and share the knowledge gained within their respective countries." — Hon. Alpha Ibrahim Sesay, Minister of Trade and Industry, Sierra Leone
Remarks were also delivered by the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Hon. Fatmata Kamara, who highlighted ongoing national interventions aimed at strengthening the participation of Sierra Leonean enterprises in regional and continental trade under the AfCFTA and ETLS frameworks.
The Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs, Dr. Isata Mahoi, in her remarks emphasized the importance of ensuring that women- and youth-led enterprises are adequately empowered and positioned to benefit from opportunities created under the AfCFTA.
Participants were further welcomed by Dr. Edward Hinga Sandy, Executive Director of the National Investment Bank of Sierra Leone and Chair of the ECOWAS Trade Promotion Organisation (TPO) Network, who underscored the critical role of trade promotion institutions in supporting export development and facilitating market access for SMEs across the region.
Representing the ECOWAS Commission, Ambassador John Azumah commended Sierra Leone’s progress in AfCFTA implementation, including becoming the first AfCFTA State Party to complete the AfCFTA Readiness Assessment under AFIRM. He also highlighted ECOWAS initiatives supporting AfCFTA implementation, including regional capacity-building programmes and the submission of the ECOWAS regional Schedules of Specific Commitments on Trade in Services.
"He reaffirmed ECOWAS’ commitment to supporting Member States in creating enabling environments for businesses to benefit from continental market opportunities." — Ambassador John Azumah, ECOWAS Commission
Ms. Cynthia Gnassingbe-Essonam, Director of Private Sector and Communication at the AfCFTA Secretariat, emphasized that the programme forms part of the broader AfCFTA SME Booster Initiative aimed at equipping African businesses, particularly women- and youth-led enterprises, with the practical tools and institutional support needed to trade competitively across the continent.
Representatives of the UNDP, GIZ, ITC, and other partners emphasized the importance of strengthening institutional and enterprise capacities to enhance the competitiveness of African businesses, particularly MSMEs, within regional and continental value chains.
Participants engaged in technical sessions on areas such as value addition, certification, rules of origin, trade facilitation, access to finance, digital trade, and regional market opportunities, while also promoting peer learning, business networking, and regional collaboration.
The programme further reinforced the importance of strengthening institutional and enterprise capacities, particularly for women- and youth-led businesses, and contributes to broader regional efforts to develop export-ready African businesses ahead of initiatives such as BIASHARA AFRIKA 2026 in Lomé, Togo.
The programme brought together over 100 participants from government institutions, development partners, BSOs, and the private sector across West Africa to strengthen export readiness under the AfCFTA and ETLS frameworks.
Deep Analysis
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Key Impact
- This programme will directly help MSMEs in Ghana, especially cocoa processors and shea butter producers, access new markets across Africa under AfCFTA.
- By reducing trade barriers, Ghanaian women-led agribusinesses in the Ashanti and Volta Regions can export more processed crops like cassava flour and palm oil.
- The initiative targets export readiness, meaning Ghanaian smallholder farmers who aggregate their produce through cooperatives can now meet continental standards.
Background
- The AfCFTA creates a single continental market for goods and services, but many West African MSMEs lack the skills and certifications to trade across borders.
- ECOWAS launched this capacity-building programme in Freetown, Sierra Leone, to help businesses in all 15 member states, including Ghana, prepare for AfCFTA opportunities.
- Ghana's Ministry of Trade and Industry and institutions like the Ghana Export Promotion Authority are expected to align with this regional strategy.
Benefits
- Ghanaian MSMEs will receive training on product certification, labelling, and quality standards required for cross-border trade, boosting their competitiveness.
- The programme prioritises women and youth, so female groundnut processors in Northern Ghana and young cassava farmers in the Brong-Ahafo Region can expand their businesses.
- Business support organisations in Ghana, such as the Association of Ghana Industries, will be strengthened to better help MSMEs export to other African countries.
Risks & Warnings
- Ghanaian MSMEs may struggle with the costs of meeting new certification and value addition requirements if financial support from partners like AfDB is not sustained.
- Large competitors from more industrialised African economies could dominate markets, leaving small Ghanaian producers like those in the shea value chain behind.
- Without strong follow-up training and monitoring, the programme's benefits may not reach remote rural areas where most Ghanaian smallholder farmers operate.
Who Is Affected
- Women-led agribusinesses in Ghana, such as those processing mangoes in the Eastern Region or vegetables in the Greater Accra Region, are primary beneficiaries.
- Youth-owned enterprises, including young entrepreneurs running poultry farms or cassava processing units in the Central Region, will gain export skills.
- Business support organisations in Ghana, like trade associations and export promotion agencies, must update their services to implement this programme effectively.
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