News
CECI contributes to ECOWAS regional dialogue to strengthen women’s cross-border trade
August 4, 2026
Women cross-border traders play a vital role in West African economies. By connecting markets, supporting local economic activity, and contributing to trade between countries, they actively advance regional integration. Yet significant barriers continue to limit their full participation in cross-border trade, including challenges related to trade procedures, access to finance, and constraints encountered at border crossings.
From June 18 to 28, 2026, CECI participated in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Regional Fortnight on Women’s Small-Scale Cross-Border Trade, held in Lomé, Togo. Bringing together representatives of regional institutions, governments, partner organizations, and 60 women traders from 12 West African countries, the event highlighted women traders’ contributions to regional economic development and fostered discussions on solutions to create a more inclusive trading environment.
Over ten days, participants explored several priority issues, including market access, financial services, trade standards, the simplification of trade procedures, and the integration of gender considerations into trade policies.
CECI contributed to this regional mobilization through the Making Trade Work for Women in West Africa (MTWW) project, implemented in partnership with TradeMark Africa and funded by the Government of Canada. The MTWW project aims to strengthen women’s participation in regional trade across six West African countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo.
Advancing More Inclusive Regional Trade
During the Regional Fortnight, the MTWW project contributed to capacity-strengthening activities and hosted a panel discussion on the challenges faced by women cross-border traders and women-led exporting businesses. The discussion brought together representatives of professional associations, the ECOWAS Centre for Gender Development (ECGD), and actors involved in regional trade to share experiences and identify concrete actions to address the many barriers encountered at borders.
As Halima Ouattara, Regional Coordinator of the MTWW project, emphasized: “Removing these barriers is not only a matter of equity. It is also an economic imperative. [...] When women traders prosper, communities, local economies, and regional integration all move forward.”
Discussions highlighted the importance of simplifying trade procedures, improving access to information and finance, and better integrating gender considerations into regional trade policies.
Through its participation in this ECOWAS-led regional initiative, CECI continues to work alongside its partners to promote more inclusive cross-border trade, where women can fully participate in the economic opportunities available across the region.
