ECOWAS lawmaker and Nigerian Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu has urged West African nations to adopt stronger economic reforms to boost regional trade and improve business connectivity. He made the call while speaking on the sidelines of a parliamentary session in Abuja, where discussions centered on strengthening integration across member states through better infrastructure and modern trade systems.
Kalu pointed out that trade among ECOWAS countries remains relatively low compared to their trade relationships with other parts of the world. He explained that intra-regional trade currently sits around 11 percent, a figure he believes is far below what should be expected for a region with such economic potential. According to him, the major challenge limiting growth is poor infrastructure, especially weak transport networks that should help move goods smoothly across borders.
He also highlighted persistent challenges at border checkpoints, describing long clearance delays as a major setback for businesses. Kalu said commercial trucks sometimes spend many hours waiting to be cleared after reaching border posts, which increases transportation costs and slows down business activities. He stressed that improving border efficiency would encourage more small and large businesses to participate in cross-border trade.
On financial integration, Kalu suggested that West Africa should begin prioritizing digital payment systems instead of spending more time debating the creation of a single regional currency. He argued that digital payment platforms could help reduce dependence on dollar-denominated transactions, which he said currently cost the region billions of dollars annually in processing fees. He believes adopting modern financial technology would make trade transactions faster, cheaper, and more efficient across the region.
ECOWAS ,TradeReform
