The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament has endorsed the harmonisation of customs procedures alongside expanded access to affordable finance for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), saying the twin reforms are critical to removing trade barriers and accelerating regional economic integration in West Africa.

The resolutions were adopted at the close of the Parliament’s delocalised meeting of the Joint Committee on Industry and Private Sector, Macroeconomic Policy and Economic Research, Administration, Finance and Budget, and Public Accounts held in Cotonou, Republic of Benin.

Presenting the communiqué on Friday, Co-Chairman of the Joint Committee, Hon Alhagie Darbo, said the Parliament was urging member states to harmonise customs procedures, import regulations, taxation policies and business registration requirements to create a predictable and business-friendly environment for enterprises operating across the sub-region.

He said the Parliament also called for the full implementation of ECOWAS trade and investment protocols, the elimination of non-tariff barriers, increased investment in trade-supporting infrastructure and stronger national monitoring mechanisms to improve the ease of doing business.

Darbo said member states should adopt enabling legal, regulatory and fiscal frameworks that promote entrepreneurship, facilitate the transition of informal businesses into the formal economy, encourage local value addition and strengthen the competitiveness of MSMEs.

The committee also recommended improved market governance by ensuring transparent allocation and management of market facilities, providing accessible tenancy agreements, reviewing restrictive trading practices and addressing the harassment of traders.

It further urged governments to expand financial inclusion initiatives and improve access to affordable finance, particularly for women-owned and youth-led MSMEs, to enhance productivity and increase participation in regional value chains.

The Parliament charged the ECOWAS Commission to strengthen implementation of the ECOWAS MSME Development Policy (2021–2030) through enterprise support centres, business support programmes, entrepreneurship development initiatives and digital skills enhancement.

The lawmakers also called on the Commission to establish and strengthen export support mechanisms along major trade corridors and strategic border posts to provide guidance to exporters, facilitate compliance with trade requirements and reduce administrative bottlenecks affecting intra-regional trade.

According to the resolutions, the Commission should accelerate the harmonisation and implementation of ECOWAS product standards, certification and quality assurance systems to ensure uniform requirements for goods traded across member states and improve access to regional and continental markets.

The Parliament further advocated stronger implementation of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) through simplified procedures, greater awareness among businesses, the removal of non-tariff barriers and improved transparency in cross-border trade.

The lawmakers also recommended the promotion of regional value chains by encouraging industries to source semi-processed raw materials and intermediate inputs from within the Community, thereby reducing dependence on imports from outside the region while strengthening industrial integration.

They equally called for greater support for inclusive industrial and agricultural clusters, producer networks and value-chain platforms to attract investment, improve productivity, facilitate access to finance and enhance the competitiveness of regional enterprises.

The Parliament urged the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) to expand access to affordable and tailored financing for MSMEs through innovative funding mechanisms, including credit guarantee schemes, concessional financing windows and risk-sharing instruments targeting women- and youth-led businesses.

It also called on the regional bank to develop financing instruments that would support investments in industrial and agricultural clusters, enabling producers and value-chain actors to expand production and integrate more effectively into regional markets.

The lawmakers pledged to strengthen oversight of the implementation of ECOWAS trade, investment, industrialisation and MSME development frameworks by monitoring compliance with Community protocols and promoting stronger political commitment among member states to improve market access, industrial development and regional economic integration.

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The Parliament also resolved to transmit the recommendations of the Joint Committee to relevant ECOWAS institutions while sustaining advocacy at the national level to ensure their implementation.

Speaking on the sidelines of the meeting, Chairman of the Nigerian House of Representatives Committee on Small and Medium Enterprises, Hon Pascal Agbodike, said Nigerian members of the ECOWAS Parliament would engage the National Assembly to ensure the resolutions are reflected in national legislation and policy.

Agbodike said concerns raised by traders over bottlenecks at Nigeria’s borders would receive comprehensive legislative attention, expressing optimism that implementing the recommendations would make the ECOWAS region more business-friendly and unlock greater opportunities for MSMEs.