The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has expressed concerns that many traders at the Seme border corridor are not utilising the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) to benefit from duty-free goods.
The ECOWAS Commission stated that many traders operating along the Seme border corridor are not utilising the ETLS, which enables the export and import of goods originating within the subregion without the imposition of tariffs.
The Director of Trade, ECOWAS Commission, Kolawole Sofola, stated this yesterday during a dialogue on border trade in Badagry.
This is just as the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), in collaboration with the ECOWAS Commission, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and other partners, have intensified efforts to improve cross-border trade.
Sofola informed that traders with valid passports could move to any ECOWAS country to reside or transact business, but he was worried that traders are not exploring the advantage.
“Another right available to traders is the freedom of movement within ECOWAS member states. Once they possess a valid passport, they can travel to any ECOWAS country to reside or conduct business. There is also an ongoing process to introduce a biometric ECOWAS identity card, which we expect Nigeria to adopt, enabling traders and residents to enjoy improved access for business activities and other purposes,” the ECOWAS representative said.
