ECOWAS Launches Regional Fortnight on Cross-Border Trade, Targets Greater Economic Empowerment for Women Entrepreneurs Across West Africa By Raymond Enoch
In a bold move to deepen regional integration and accelerate women’s economic empowerment across West Africa, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has announced a landmark Regional Fortnight on Women’s Small-Scale Cross-Border Trade, scheduled to hold in Lomé from June 18 to 28, 2026.
The high-impact regional programme, spearheaded by the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre, is expected to bring together women traders, policymakers, financial institutions, border management agencies, private-sector stakeholders and development partners from across the sub-region to chart a new course for inclusive economic growth and trade facilitation.
The initiative forms part of the implementation of the ECOWAS Gender and Trade Action Plan and serves as one of the flagship activities marking the conclusion of the 50th anniversary celebrations of Economic Community of West African States.
For decades, women have remained the backbone of informal and small-scale cross-border trade in West Africa, contributing significantly to food security, household incomes and regional commerce. However, many continue to face challenges ranging from limited access to finance and market information to cumbersome border procedures and inadequate recognition of their contribution to economic development.
The Regional Fortnight seeks to address these challenges by providing a platform for dialogue, networking, policy engagement and capacity enhancement.
A major highlight of the programme will be an awareness caravan traversing strategic trade corridors across the region, drawing attention to the critical role women play in facilitating trade and strengthening regional integration.
Participants will also take part in a major regional trade fair where women entrepreneurs will showcase products from agricultural, fisheries and artisanal value chains, creating opportunities for business partnerships, market expansion and investment linkages.
In addition, a comprehensive capacity-building programme will expose participants to key regional and continental trade frameworks, including ECOWAS trade instruments and the African Continental Free Trade Area, while equipping women entrepreneurs with practical tools to improve competitiveness and business sustainability.
Observers say the initiative comes at a critical time when West African economies are seeking innovative pathways to economic resilience, food security and job creation. By investing in women traders, ECOWAS is not only promoting gender equality but also unlocking one of the region’s most powerful engines of economic transformation.
The gathering in Lomé is expected to generate fresh policy recommendations and strengthen collaboration among governments, financial institutions and development partners in support of women-led enterprises across the ECOWAS region.
As the regional bloc celebrates five decades of fostering cooperation and integration, the Regional Fortnight on Women’s Small-Scale Cross-Border Trade is poised to stand out as a defining intervention aimed at ensuring that women remain at the heart of West Africa’s economic future.
