Abuja: The ECOWAS Small Business Coalition (ESBC) has praised the ECOWAS Commission's Private Sector Directorate for its support of women traders throughout the West African sub-region. Dr. Abdulrashid Yerima, President of ESBC, highlighted the Commission's strong backing, which played a significant role in the success of the recently concluded ECOWAS Caravan 2025.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Yerima applauded the collaboration among regional actors, partners, and delegates involved in the caravan, noting that it transformed shared challenges into opportunities. He commended the leadership of the ECOWAS Commission, particularly the Private Sector Directorate, for steering the region toward inclusive and sustainable growth. He described the caravan as a significant milestone in advancing women's cross-border trade across West Africa.
Yerima emphasized that the ECOWAS Caravan 2025 was more than just a series of events; it was a regional movement that addressed key barriers facing women traders and reinvigorated efforts to dismantle these obstacles. He noted that the caravan's success in galvanizing action toward inclusive trade policies and stronger support for small businesses, especially those led by women, was crucial.
According to Yerima, the Private Sector Directorate's coordination of resources, facilitation of partnerships, and advocacy amplification were vital to the caravan's success. He praised the Directorate's proactive collaboration and commitment, which ensured the coalition's voice and mission resonated across the region.
Yerima noted that the caravan facilitated the forging of new alliances, strengthened regional policy dialogue, and inspired collective resolve, thereby improving the enabling environment for small businesses and informal cross-border traders. He described the caravan as a symphony of ideas that must evolve into long-term regional initiatives and policy reforms to support trade facilitation, eliminate bottlenecks, and unlock prosperity for women entrepreneurs.
The ECOWAS Caravan 2025 is part of ongoing regional efforts to advance the goals of the ECOWAS Vision 2050, which focuses on economic integration, private sector development, and gender inclusion across West Africa.