By Segun Ojumu
West African lawmakers have gathered in Cotonou, Republic of Benin, for a five-day summit aimed at strengthening micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) across the sub-region.
The joint committee meeting of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament opened on Monday under the theme: “Empowering MSMEs as Formal Drivers of ECOWAS Regional Value Chains.”
The high-level talks bring together parliamentary leaders, government ministers, and economic experts at a time when regions globally are seeking to cushion small businesses against emerging economic headwinds.
Key Speakers and High-Level Talks
The opening ceremony featured addresses from top regional leaders and Beninese government officials, including:
- The Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament and the Speaker of Benin’s National Assembly.
- Benin’s Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Finance, SME Promotion, and Interior.
- The Head of the Benin Delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament.
- Trade Facilitation & Standards: Experts, including Dr. Tony Elumelu, former Acting Director of Industry and Private Sector at the ECOWAS Commission, will lead sessions on formalising small businesses and removing cross-border trade barriers.
- Access to Finance: Presentations by the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) and fintech consultants will explore solutions for funding the “missing middle”—businesses too large for microfinance but struggling to secure conventional bank loans.
- Digital Transformation: Panel discussions will focus on expanding cross-border digital payments and improving logistics.
- Field Visits and Public Town Hall. On Wednesday, parliamentarians will go into the field to meet directly with local business owners. Discussions will center on labor movement, product certification, and the utilization of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS).A public town hall on Thursday will give the local business community—particularly women- and youth-led enterprises—a platform to highlight daily operational challenges, including taxation, customs friction, and market access.The five-day delocalized session will conclude on Friday with the formal consideration and adoption of a draft report outlining actionable policy recommendations for the West African bloc.
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