The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) concluded its groundbreaking Caravan 2025 initiative with a high-profile event at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, on July 11, 2025, shining a spotlight on the challenges and opportunities facing women in West Africa’s cross-border trade sector.
The innovative two-week empowerment program, launched this year by ECOWAS, specifically targets small-scale women traders operating within the region’s informal trade economy. The caravan journey spanned from June 30 to July 14, traversing the strategic Abidjan–Lagos trade corridor with significant stops in Abidjan, Lomé, Cotonou, and Lagos, before concluding at the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre.
During the official launch of the Lagos segment and the caravan’s closing ceremony, Professor Fatou Sow Sarr, ECOWAS Commissioner for Social Affairs and Gender, highlighted the crucial contribution of women to the region’s informal economy.
“Women are the lifeblood of informal trade in West Africa… this caravan is about visibility, voice, and value — it’s about shifting narratives and shaping policies that support women where it matters most: on the ground,” she declared.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, officially inaugurated the Lagos phase of the sensitisation and awareness campaign targeting small-scale women traders. She characterised the initiative as both timely and essential.
“This initiative is a direct response to equip and empower our women, who form the majority of traders along the corridor and represent the backbone of informal cross-border trade across the region.
“These women play a critical role in ensuring food security, creating jobs, and sustaining livelihoods in both border communities and their homes.”
Ambrose-Medebem emphasised that these women transcend their role as mere traders, functioning as economic builders who persist despite operating under uncertain conditions and frequent harassment.
She highlighted that the campaign marks a significant advancement, seeking to broaden understanding of trade regulations, legal frameworks, and ECOWAS community protocols governing cross-border commerce.
In her media briefing, the commissioner revealed the Lagos State Government’s ongoing commitment to supporting informal sector traders, particularly women entrepreneurs.
“I want to say that Mr Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, approved ₦500 billion for MSMEs under the Lagos State Access to Finance initiative for small businesses through cooperatives at 0% interest,” she announced.
The fund, complemented by an additional ₦500 billion from the Bank of Industry, operates without collateral requirements, includes a six-month moratorium, and provides a competitive 9% interest rate.
Dr Chinyere Almona, Director-General of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), praised ECOWAS for its dedication to gender equality and regional integration, describing this year’s campaign as “symbolic and necessary.”
“For women working in agriculture, fisheries, artisanal value chains, and cross-border trade, their daily grind is not just a livelihood; it’s an act of resilience and enterprise.
“Women traders form the uncelebrated backbone of West Africa’s informal trade economy, representing over 70% of informal cross-border traders and playing an indispensable role in food supply.”
Almona called upon governments and stakeholders to invest in institutionalised, continuous capacity building through community-based training hubs in local languages, digitalisation of border procedures, and the development of mobile-friendly platforms to expedite trade clearance and enhance efficiency.
“Women in the informal trade are producing the formal results that are adding to the GDP and creating major employment.”
Princess Omotola Omole, National President of the Federation of Business Women Entrepreneurs (FEBWE), praised ECOWAS for its unwavering support of women in her remarks.
“ECOWAS has consistently stood with women, ready to support, connect, and empower every woman who dares to dream big and trade to uplift her community,” she stated.
Additional presentations included contributions from the Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Ruth Abisola Olusanya, who sent a representative.
The ECOWAS Small Business Coalition conveyed sincere gratitude to the ECOWAS Commission, partners, collaborators, and delegates for their essential roles in making the ECOWAS Caravan 2025 a landmark achievement.
Dr. Abdulrashid Yerima, representing the coalition, emphasized the collaborative impact of the caravan, stating, “The bridges we build today become the trade routes of tomorrow’s prosperity.”
He also commended the ECOWAS Commission for its leadership and acknowledged the collective synergy of partners and delegates for converting challenges into opportunities.
The closing ceremony, which welcomed over 300 participants from across ECOWAS member states, featured an interactive town hall meeting where panellists discussed key topics including capacity building, awareness strategies, and toolkit presentations, while addressing audience inquiries.
Building upon the achievements of previous editions, including the Tema–Paga corridor in 2023 and the Dakar–Banjul–Bissau route in 2024, the 2025 ECOWAS Caravan not only enhanced the economic potential of women traders but also strengthened trade facilitation, improved market access, and fostered robust institutional partnerships across participating nations.
Seunmanuel Faleye is a brand and communications strategist. He is a covert writer and an overt creative head. He publishes Apple’s Bite International Magazine.
