The ECOWAS Commission, in collaboration with GIZ, organized a two-day virtual Regional Sensitization Workshop for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Digital Trade Protocol on 16 & 17 February 2026. The main objective of the meeting was to build the capacities of SMEs in the ECOWAS region on both the ECOWAS E-commerce Strategy and the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol.
In his opening remarks, on behalf of Dr. Kalilou SYLLA, ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Mr. Kolawole SOFOLA, Director of Trade, stated that the workshop will deepen the understanding of the AfCFTA Protocol on Digital Trade and equip SMEs with the knowledge needed to harness its opportunities.
He highlighted that the Protocol is a critical instrument for promoting interoperability, trust, transparency, and fairness in digital transactions, noting that these objectives align closely with the ECOWAS e-commerce strategy.
