Scheme Offers Duty-Free Access to West African Markets for Nigerian Manufacturers…..
The Federal Government has called on business owners in Nigeria’s Southeast to leverage the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) to boost cross-border trade and expand their markets across West Africa.
Speaking at a one-day sensitisation workshop in Enugu on Tuesday, themed “Increasing Intra-Regional Trade through ETLS”, Olawale Emmanuel Awe, Director of the ECOWAS National Unit at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, explained that the scheme grants duty-free access to goods produced within ECOWAS member states.
He stressed, however, that the scheme is strictly for products made in Nigeria and does not allow re-export of imported goods.
“We don’t want a situation where someone imports from China and re-exports. Only products genuinely manufactured in Nigeria are eligible,” Awe said.
The ETLS, which is part of ECOWAS’ founding protocols from 1975, seeks to facilitate free movement of goods and services, promote regional economic integration, and foster prosperity across West Africa.
Businesses looking to benefit from the scheme must complete a registration process. According to Awe, this involves submitting product samples and undergoing factory inspections by the National Approval Committee, which includes representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Trade, SON, NAFDAC, Customs, MAN Export Group, and NEPC.
The Federal Government has been actively promoting ETLS across Nigeria, conducting workshops to educate manufacturers on how to participate and expand their market reach across the ECOWAS region.
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