Business community in the South-East geopolitical zone will tomorrow converge on Enugu for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) workshop.

The ETLS is a trade instrument established in 1979 by the ECOWAS as a cornerstone for regional integration within the region.

The scheme was established to promote intra-regional trade and allows for duty-free access to markets for products certified as originating within the ECOWAS region.

According to the Special Assistant on Communication and New Media to the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr Magnus Eze, the effective implementation of the scheme aims to reduce dependency on imports, encourage entrepreneurship and significantly promote job creation.

He noted that since the inception of the Scheme, Nigeria accounts for 36.1 per cent of the total number of registered companies in the region. The number of registered companies in Nigeria is 3,146, while the number of products stands at over 6,000. In 2024 alone, 800 companies and 419 products were registered.

Eze said: “The objective of the ETLS Sensitisation programme in Enugu is to promote understanding of the ETLS and to engage targeted stakeholders on how best to leverage the scheme”

He also said the programme would create awareness to inform key stakeholders of ETLS and its benefits, such as duty-free access and the elimination of non-tariff barriers.

Organised by the ECOWAS National Unit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Enugu State Government, the invited stakeholders include entrepreneurs, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) operators, members of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA).