ECOWAS Moves to Tackle Unfair Trade as Key Competition Meeting Opens in Abuja By Staff Reporter
The push for fair competition in West Africa has gained momentum in recent years as regional leaders seek to create a level playing field for businesses. Through the ECOWAS framework, member states are working to remove barriers, prevent monopolies, and ensure that markets operate transparently for the benefit of both businesses and consumers.
The Competition Consultative Committee (CCC) serves as a key technical platform supporting this goal. It brings together national experts and regulators to harmonise policies, share experiences, and guide the implementation of regional competition rules. Its work is central to building trust in the market and promoting sustainable economic growth across the region.
The ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority has convened a major regional meeting in Abuja aimed at strengthening fair competition and protecting consumers across West Africa.
The three-day session, which began on March 30th to 1st April, 2026, is the 12th meeting of the Competition Consultative Committee (CCC).
It is bringing together representatives of ECOWAS member states, including Directors of Trade, alongside officials of the Authority.
The meeting is focused on taking concrete steps to improve how businesses compete in the region and to ensure consumers are better protected from unfair practices.
Sources say that the gathering builds on outcomes from the 11th CCC meeting held in Cotonou, Benin, in September 2025, with the goal of reaching key decisions that will strengthen the regional system for competition and consumer protection.
A major part of the discussions will centre on reviewing and approving draft regional rules and a procedures manual on consumer protection. These documents were developed after a technical session in Dakar in February 2026 and are expected to provide ECOWAS with a clear and workable legal framework.
Participants will also review a draft report on the cement sector in West Africa, a key industry in the region. The study is part of ongoing efforts by the Authority to identify and address anti-competitive practices in critical sectors of the economy.
