West African policymakers and business leaders have called for urgent reforms to boost regional trade and economic integration, as the 2026 Federation of West African Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FEWACCI) summit opened in Ghana.
At the gathering in Accra, speakers pointed to persistently low levels of intra-regional trade, with exchanges within the Economic Community of West African States estimated at just 10% to 12%, underscoring structural barriers to growth.
Chief of Staff Julius Debrah said the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) offers a pathway to strengthen regional value chains and improve global competitiveness, but warned that existing bottlenecks continue to limit its impact.
He cited poor logistics, high trade costs and limited access to financing for small and medium-sized enterprises as key constraints holding back trade expansion.
Deputy Trade Minister Sampson Ahi said efforts to liberalize trade must be matched by measures to improve SME capacity and reduce inefficiencies across production, certification and transport systems.
The Director-General of the Ghana Maritime Authority, Kamal-Deen Ali, highlighted the central role of logistics in translating trade agreements into actual economic activity, pointing to ongoing infrastructure projects aimed at improving connectivity and port efficiency.
Harriet Gayi of TradeMark Africa said the region’s trade potential remains largely untapped, calling for reforms to reduce border delays, lower costs and support youth- and women-led enterprises.
The summit brings together public and private sector stakeholders as West African economies seek to accelerate integration under AfCFTA, amid growing pressure to diversify growth and create jobs for a rapidly expanding young population.
