The 4th joint meeting of ECOWAS Ministers of Trade and Industry concluded recently in Abuja, emphasizing economic diversification, industrial growth, and regional collaboration to address global trade challenges. Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, urged member states to strengthen industrial bases and forge new partnerships amid recent disruptions. The meeting drew representatives from 11 ECOWAS countries, including Benin, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Liberia.

Ministers reviewed expert reports on trade, industry, and investment, recommending accelerated ratification of the Fisheries Subsidy Agreement and the endorsement of the ECOWAS Trade and Investment Promotion Strategy to boost intra-regional trade. They directed the ECOWAS Commission to organize meetings to define priorities for the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14) and to convene a joint ministerial meeting on trade, industry, and transport to tackle cross-sectoral issues.

The meeting advanced the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) implementation, with 49 of 54 African Union states having ratified the agreement. Benin was urged to expedite its ratification, and members were instructed to submit revised trade commitments to the AfCFTA Secretariat by August 2025. To counter U.S. tariff impacts, the ECOWAS Commission was tasked with developing a regional response strategy and supporting negotiations on non-tariff barriers under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) and AfCFTA.

John Enoh, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Industry, underscored the meeting’s role in recalibrating economic strategies and fostering resilience through collaboration. The ministers reaffirmed ECOWAS’s commitment to industrial growth and economic prosperity through progressive partnerships aligned with global best practices.