ECOWAS, UNIDO Strengthen Media Capacity on Quality Infrastructure Reporting and Africa’s Trade Competitiveness By Raymond Enoch
Efforts to promote quality infrastructure and a culture of standardisation—key pillars for deeper regional integration and economic competitiveness—received a significant boost as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), trained journalists and communication officers on quality infrastructure, standards, and market access under the Africa Trade Competitiveness and Market Access (ATCMA) programme.
The two-day hybrid workshop, held in Abuja, Nigeria, brought together media professionals from across the ECOWAS region as part of the European Union–funded ATCMA initiative. The training focused on enhancing journalists’ capacity to report accurately, insightfully, and compellingly on quality infrastructure (QI) and its critical role in driving industrialization, improving product competitiveness, and facilitating access to regional and international markets.
Convened by ECOWAS and aligned with the European Union’s Global Gateway strategy, the workshop offered participants practical insights into the core components of quality infrastructure, including standardisation, metrology, accreditation, conformity assessment, and quality management systems. Discussions highlighted how these technical areas directly affect everyday life—ranging from consumer safety and product reliability to job creation, export readiness, and economic growth.
Participants were also encouraged to adopt effective storytelling approaches that translate complex technical concepts into accessible and engaging narratives. This approach is expected to help citizens, policymakers, and the private sector better appreciate the importance of standards and quality culture in supporting sustainable development and trade competitiveness.
The initiative comes at a critical moment as West Africa intensifies efforts to strengthen regional integration, enhance economic resilience, and position local industries to compete effectively under frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). By empowering the media, ECOWAS and UNIDO aim to ensure that quality infrastructure reforms and trade facilitation efforts receive informed, consistent, and impactful coverage.
The workshop further aligns with the long-term aspirations of ECOWAS Vision 2050, which prioritizes inclusive growth, industrial transformation, and people-centred development. Through the ATCMA programme, ECOWAS, UNIDO, and the European Union reaffirm their commitment to building the institutional and human capacities needed to unlock Africa’s trade potential—recognizing the media as a vital partner in shaping narratives that advance regional competitiveness and sustainable economic integration.
