The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has called on members of the ECOWAS Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) Network to pursue alternative funding sources to strengthen regional trade promotion and economic integration across West Africa.
Speaking at the 6th Annual General Assembly of the Network in Dakar, Senegal, NEPC Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer Mrs. Nonye Ayeni said relying solely on annual subscriptions from member states is no longer sufficient to finance the Network’s activities.
Ayeni, who also heads the Network’s secretariat, proposed the creation of a special committee to work alongside the Technical Committee on Financial Affairs and Resource Mobilisation to identify sustainable, long-term funding options.
The meeting brought together trade promotion agencies from 11 ECOWAS member states, alongside representatives of the ECOWAS Commission, the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) and the International Trade Centre (ITC). During the assembly, the ITC encouraged members to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to improve operational efficiency, enhance trade promotion and modernize the Network’s activities.
Ayeni stressed that stronger financing and greater collaboration among member states are essential to achieving the Network’s mandate of boosting intra-ECOWAS trade, supporting exporters and deepening regional economic integration. The assembly concluded with the re-election of Dr Edward Sandy of Sierra Leone as President of the Network and Dr Kwoateng of Ghana as Vice President for another one-year term.
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