ECOWAS Trains Sierra Leone Customs Officers to Strengthen Trade Under ETLS and AfCFTA.
By Raymond Enoch
Freetown, August 29, 2025 — In a strategic move to bolster regional trade integration, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has successfully conducted a three-day capacity-building workshop for Customs Officers of Sierra Leone. The training focused on deepening their understanding and implementation of the Rules of Origin (RoO) under both the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Held from August 27th to 29th in Freetown, the training was organized by the ECOWAS Commission for officers of the Customs and Excise Department (CED) of the National Revenue Authority (NRA) of Sierra Leone. The initiative falls under ECOWAS’s broader objective to facilitate free trade and promote economic integration across West Africa and the continent at large.
In his opening remarks, the ECOWAS Resident Representative to Sierra Leone, H.E. John Azumah, emphasized the critical role of trade in fostering regional development. “The free movement of persons and goods, along with the right of residence and establishment, remains a central priority of our integration agenda,” he said. “Ensuring that Customs officers are well-versed in the Rules of Origin is fundamental to achieving these goals.”
The Rules of Origin are essential in determining the national source of a product, and they play a key role in applying preferential tariffs under trade agreements like the ETLS and AfCFTA. By mastering these rules, Customs officials can ensure that only eligible goods benefit from tariff exemptions and preferential treatment, thereby protecting the integrity of trade regimes and promoting fair competition.
Through this “training of trainers” approach, the ECOWAS Commission aims to establish a sustainable framework where trained officers can, in turn, disseminate their knowledge to colleagues across the country. This multiplier effect is expected to enhance institutional efficiency and align national practices with regional and continental trade standards.
Participants described the training as timely and impactful, noting its relevance in supporting Sierra Leone’s readiness to fully implement the AfCFTA agreement, which seeks to create a single African market of over 1.3 billion people.
The capacity-building workshop marks another step forward in ECOWAS’s commitment to deepening economic integration and trade facilitation across West Africa, positioning Customs administrations like Sierra Leone’s as vital engines in the implementation of Africa’s ambitious trade goals.
