ECOWAS Parliament Calls for Policy Reforms to Boost West African MSMEs

At a joint committee meeting of the ECOWAS Parliament in Cotonou, Benin, the body urged urgent policy reforms to unlock the growth potential of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across West Africa. Co‑Chair Hon. Alhagie Darbo highlighted that the informal sector accounts for nearly 90 % of economic activity and employs at least 60 % of the labour force in member states, limiting access to finance, technology, markets and legal protection.

Darbo called for practical measures to encourage formalisation, improve productivity, and integrate MSMEs into regional and continental value chains, linking the effort to ECOWAS Vision 2050, the Trade Liberalisation Scheme and the African Continental Free Trade Area. He stressed that stronger institutions and an enabling business environment are essential for sustainable development, poverty reduction and deeper regional integration.