Lagos, Nigeria – July 17, 2025 — The West African Association for Cross-Border Trade in Agro-Forestry-Pastoral and Fisheries Products and Food (WACTAF) is organizing a two-day training workshop in Lagos to boost stakeholders’ understanding and effective use of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS).
The workshop, running from July 17 to 18, is part of the ECOWAS Agricultural Trade Programme (EAT), funded by German Cooperation through GIZ, with WACTAF serving as an implementing partner. It is aimed at equipping cross-border trade actors, particularly from Nigeria and Togo, with practical knowledge on ETLS procedures and the broader framework governing regional trade.
According to WACTAF, around 50 participants from its socio-professional member organizations are attending this first session, with similar workshops planned for other ECOWAS member states in the coming months.
Participants will receive in-depth training on key trade instruments and regulations including the ECOWAS Common External Tariff, Community Customs Code, community transit protocols, axle load regulations, and goods transport norms. Other critical areas of focus include regional taxation, sanitary and phytosanitary standards, dispute resolution mechanisms, and required administrative documentation for trading agro-forestry-pastoral and fisheries products.
This initiative aligns with WACTAF’s broader agenda to remove barriers to regional commerce and facilitate trade through actions like the Agro-Livestock Road Fluidity Operation, which helps traders navigate official procedures and enhance compliance.
