By Segun Adeyanju
The Federal Government has urged entrepreneurs and business owners in the South-East to take advantage of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS), to expand their market reach across West Africa.
Speaking at a one-day workshop in Enugu, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, described the initiative as a vital step toward deepening regional integration and promoting cross-border trade.
She noted that small and medium enterprises (SMEs), remain the backbone of Nigeria’s economy, stressing the need to empower them to compete within the ECOWAS market.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu lamented that despite its benefits, the ETLS remains underutilized due to limited awareness among SMEs and government agencies about its procedures and advantages.
Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, represented by his deputy, Ifeanyi Ossai, called on the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and financial institutions to create policies that will enable local industries to thrive.
He emphasized the need to remove barriers such as poor access to credit and high borrowing costs, noting that trade liberalization would only succeed if local manufacturers are adequately supported.
