Amb Bianca Ojukwu, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, has called on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the South-East to embrace the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) as a tool to grow their businesses and compete in the wider West African market.
Speaking at a sensitisation workshop in Enugu on Tuesday, Ojukwu said the ETLS provided a framework for the free movement of goods and services, which could help local manufacturers expand beyond Nigeria’s borders.
“The ETLS is both a gateway and a test case for Africa’s economic renaissance,” Ojukwu said. “This initiative is about democratising opportunity — giving SMEs the knowledge and networks to thrive regionally.”
She underscored that strengthening SMEs was vital for economic growth, noting their role in job creation and innovation. The minister also commended Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah for creating an enabling environment for enterprise, describing the state as a model for economic transformation.
Governor Mbah, represented by his deputy, Ifeanyi Ossai, praised the ETLS but cautioned that trade liberalisation should not undermine local manufacturing. He called for region-wide financing mechanisms to support SMEs and help them compete on equal footing across West Africa.
In his remarks, Humphrey Ngonadi, President of the South-East Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (SECCIMA), pledged to promote awareness of the ETLS across the region’s business community.
The President of the Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Odeiga Jideonwo, also lauded the initiative, noting that it would open up new trade frontiers for South-East businesses. He announced that more West African countries were expected to participate in the 2026 Enugu International Trade Fair.
