The ECOWAS Commission has engaged border officials, cross-border traders, transporters and other stakeholders, including women and youth from Benin Republic, Ghana and Togo, to strengthen the implementation of regional integration instruments along the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor.
The engagement took place during a High-Level Dialogue and Sensitisation at the Noépé-Akanu Joint Border Post between Togo and Ghana.
The dialogue brought together officials from the ECOWAS Commission’s Free Movement, Trade, Brown Card Insurance, Transport, Transit and Customs sectors to share insights on community texts and good practices for facilitating border crossings and intra-regional trade, including informal trade.
Discussions focused on key ECOWAS initiatives, including the ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card, the Interconnected System for the Management of Goods in Transit, SIGMAT, Joint Border Posts and the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor.
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The engagement also provided an opportunity to address challenges affecting cross-border mobility and trade.
Welcoming the delegations on behalf of the traditional Chiefs of Noépé and Akanu, Torgbi Harvey of Noépé stressed the need for ECOWAS Member States to implement joint facilitation measures to maximise the benefits of regional integration and free movement for the development of the region.
He said transporters and entrepreneurs should also benefit from measures designed to facilitate movement and trade across the region.
The Head of the Division of Operations of Customs of the Togolese Republic and Head of the Joint Task Force of the Noépé-Akanu Joint Border Posts, Captain Agniba Essoiezam, said the dialogue was important in strengthening understanding of ECOWAS instruments on the free movement of persons and goods, the right of residence and establishment, transit arrangements and the SIGMAT customs system.
In his remarks, ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Dr Kalilou Sylla, reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to deepening regional integration and facilitating the free movement of persons, goods and services along the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor.
Sylla described the Noépé-Akanu Joint Border Post as a practical example of regional integration in action, while calling for an end to delays, cumbersome procedures, informal payments and harassment at borders.
He called for stronger sensitisation on free movement rights, wider use of the ECOWAS regional biometric identity card, faster transit systems and sustained dialogue among border authorities, traders and other stakeholders.
He said such measures would help transform the corridor into an avenue for trade, job creation and shared prosperity.
Representing the Togolese Minister of Transport, the Director of Road Transport, Mr Dermane Tajudini, reaffirmed Togo’s commitment to advancing ECOWAS regional integration through more efficient and predictable movement of people and goods.
He said the success of regional integration should not be measured by the number of protocols adopted, but by the ease with which citizens, goods and transporters crossed borders.
Tajudini identified road harassment and unofficial checkpoints, high logistics costs and disparities in the application of regional regulations as key challenges.
He called for greater digitalisation of border procedures, effective operation of Joint Border Posts and harmonised and consistent application of regional standards.
The Togolese Minister representative also stressed the need for renewed political commitment and rigorous operational follow-up to transform borders into gateways for trade and shared prosperity.
In her keynote address, Vice-President of the ECOWAS Commission, Damtien Tchintchibidja, reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to strengthening free movement and cross-border transport facilitation along the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor.
Tchintchibidja described the corridor as a critical economic artery for West Africa and called for stronger implementation of ECOWAS protocols, improved border management, digitalisation, harmonised procedures and greater coordination among border agencies to reduce delays and transport costs.
She also stressed the importance of sensitising citizens, traders and transport operators on their rights and responsibilities.
The Vice-President highlighted the ECOWAS-supported Directional Signage and Mobility Programme, with financial support from Trademark Africa, aimed at improving traffic management, safety and navigation at the Noépé-Akanu and Seme-Krake Joint Border Posts.
“Our vision is clear: a corridor where people move with dignity, goods move efficiently, and border formalities are conducted with speed, transparency, and professionalism,” she added.
The engagement formed part of broader efforts by the ECOWAS Commission to strengthen cooperation among border authorities and stakeholders, improve awareness and implementation of ECOWAS free movement and trade facilitation frameworks, and promote regional transport and transit facilitation mechanisms.
Practical feedback and recommendations were received from public officials of Member States and the Commission to make cross-border movement and trade more secure, efficient and predictable, particularly for women and youth.
The recommendations are expected to contribute to the advancement of the ECOWAS regional integration agenda and improve trade and mobility along the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor.
