Cynthia Ezegwu
The Federal Government has urged business owners in Nigeria’s Southeast to take full advantage of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) to expand cross-border trade and grow their markets across West Africa.
Speaking at a one-day sensitisation workshop in Enugu on Tuesday, themed “Increasing Intra-Regional Trade through ETLS”, the Director of the ECOWAS National Unit, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olawale Emmanuel Awe, said the scheme offers duty-free access to markets in other ECOWAS member states for goods produced within the region.
Awe explained that the initiative primarily targets Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), as well as larger manufacturers, by eliminating customs duties on qualified products traded within the 13 ECOWAS member countries.
He, however, cautioned that the scheme does not allow for the re-exportation of foreign goods.
“We don’t want a situation where someone imports from China and re-exports. Only products made in Nigeria are eligible,” he said.
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According to him, the ETLS—one of the key protocols of ECOWAS since its founding in 1975—was designed to promote the free movement of goods and services and foster regional prosperity through economic integration.
Awe further noted that interested manufacturers must register with the ECOWAS National Unit and undergo product verification and factory inspection by the National Approval Committee, which includes representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Trade, SON, NAFDAC, Customs, MAN Export Group, and NEPC.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to increasing awareness of the scheme nationwide through workshops aimed at helping Nigerian businesses take full advantage of the vast West African market.