The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has urged businesses in Nigeria’s South-East to take advantage of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) to boost regional trade and economic growth.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu made the call in a statement on Monday by her Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Dr Magnus Eze, ahead of the ETLS sensitisation workshop scheduled for October 28 in Enugu.

The programme, organised by the ECOWAS National Unit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Enugu State Government, aims to raise awareness on the benefits and processes of the duty-free trade scheme.

“The effective implementation of the scheme will help reduce dependency on imports, encourage entrepreneurship, and promote job creation,” the minister said.

Established in 1979, the ETLS allows duty-free movement of goods produced within West Africa, eliminating non-tariff barriers and promoting industrial and trade development among ECOWAS member states.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu noted that Nigeria accounts for 36.1 per cent of all registered companies under the scheme, with 3,146 firms and over 6,000 approved products — including 800 companies and 419 products added in 2024 alone.

She, however, expressed concern that many stakeholders, particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and informal traders, were unaware of the scheme’s benefits and eligibility requirements.

The workshop, themed ‘Increasing intra-regional trade through ETLS,’ will guide participants on certification, documentation, and compliance with ECOWAS regulations.

“The processing of ETLS applications in Nigeria is free,” Odumegwu-Ojukwu said, adding that the initiative would particularly benefit women in business, exporters, agro-processors, and members of the organised private sector.

Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, will serve as the chief host, while the event will be held at the International Conference Centre in Enugu.