By Melvin Tejan Mansaray, Freetown Sierra Leone
Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) account for over 90% of all businesses and 50% of employment in the ECOWAS region, it is against this backdrop that Members of the ECOWAS Parliament are set to discuss its potential, challenges and make resolutions on the theme, “Empowering MSMEs as Formal Drivers of ECOWAS Regional Value Chains,” from 27th – 31st July, 2026 in Contonu, Benin.
This disclosure was made in a Media Advisory to the ECOWAS Parliamentary Press Corps issued by the Parliament’s Communications Directorate on 21st July, 2026.
“The ECOWAS Parliament is holding the delocalized Meeting of the Joint Committee on Industry and Private Sector |
Macroeconomic Policy and Economic Research | Administration, Finance and Budget | Public Accounts, on the theme “Empowering MSMEs as Formal Drivers of ECOWAS Regional Value Chains,” the Media Advisory disclosed.
In a bid to give the event notoriety and visibility and in line with the procedure guiding media coverage in the Parliament, three regional journalists have been invited from Nigeria, Togo and Cabo Verde to provide the ECOWAS Parliamentary Corps with all the necessary information, comprehensive coverage and timely reporting emanating from the meeting, including panel sessions, committee deliberations, field visits, and key engagements with regional stakeholders.
The Media Advisory however thanked the Press Corps for their understanding and “uncommon commitment to the ECOWAS Parliament and the West African citizen’s rights to better know and understand regional issues that impact their lives.”
A United Nations Policy Brief on the subject noted that:
“MSMEs account for over 90% of all businesses and 50% of employment in the ECOWAS region. While they are foundational to West Africa’s economy, their formal integration into Regional Value Chains (RVCs) remains limited due to high informality, financing gaps, and persistent cross-border trade barriers.”