Evaluation of SIGMAT and e-CO Underway in Abidjan as Regional Leaders Commit to a More Integrated Market.
By Raymond Enoch.
In a decisive move to deepen regional integration and fast-track the modernization of trade facilitation in West Africa, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) convened a high-level technical meeting in Abidjan to evaluate two flagship digital tools: SIGMAT (Interconnected System for the Management of Goods in Transit) and the electronic certificate of origin (e-CO).
The four-day conference, chaired by Mrs. Massandjé Touré-Litsé, ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, brought together technical experts, customs officials, and representatives from Member States to assess progress, identify operational challenges, and align on a harmonised roadmap for digital trade integration.
“Côte d’Ivoire has shown commendable leadership as the first country to deploy these platforms,” said Commissioner Touré-Litsé. “We salute President Alassane Ouattara’s unwavering commitment to ECOWAS unity and the digital transformation of intra-community trade.”
The meeting is essentially set to evaluate the current state of implementation of SIGMAT and e-CO across member countries,identify and mitigate risks threatening the long-term sustainability of both systems.
and propose actionable recommendations for the standardised and harmonised adoption of digital trade tools across the ECOWAS region.
It is also expected that the meeting would reaffirm ECOWAS’s commitment to using technology as a lever for economic growth, competitiveness, and seamless trade flow within West Africa.
SIGMAT enables real-time tracking and secure transit of goods across borders, reducing delays and eliminating fraud. Meanwhile, the e-CO facilitates origin verification electronically, streamlining trade processes and enhancing trust among partners.
The outcome of this strategic evaluation is expected to pave the way for full operationalisation of the two platforms across all 15 ECOWAS Member States, ultimately reducing costs, enhancing transparency, and boosting trade volumes in the region.
As West Africa pushes forward in its digital transformation journey, ECOWAS is signalling a clear message: integration is no longer an aspiration — it is a digital reality in the making.
