By Gloria Ikibah
Members of the ECOWAS Parliament will this week begin deliberations on strategies to position Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) as key drivers of regional value chains, as part of efforts to boost economic integration and expand opportunities for businesses across West Africa.
The discussions will take place during a delocalised meeting of the Parliament’s Joint Committee on Industry and Private Sector; Macroeconomic Policy and Economic Research; Administration, Finance and Budget; and Public Accounts, scheduled to hold in Cotonou, Benin Republic, from 27 to 31 July 2026. 
The meeting will focus on the theme, “Empowering MSMEs as Formal Drivers of ECOWAS Regional Value Chains,” reflecting growing recognition of the critical role small businesses play in the region’s economy.
According to a media advisory issued by the Communications Directorate of the ECOWAS Parliament on 21 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 meeting comes at a time when policymakers across West Africa are seeking practical ways to unlock the economic potential of MSMEs, which remain the backbone of the region’s private sector.
A United Nations policy brief on the subject indicates that MSMEs account for more than 90 per cent of all businesses and provide about half of total employment across ECOWAS member states. Despite their importance, many of these enterprises continue to operate outside the formal economy and face significant obstacles, including limited access to finance, weak infrastructure and barriers to cross-border trade.
Lawmakers are expected to examine these challenges and develop recommendations aimed at integrating MSMEs more effectively into regional value chains, improving their competitiveness and enabling them to contribute more meaningfully to sustainable economic growth and regional integration.
