INTERACTIVE SESSION/BRIEFING ON PARLIAMENTARY COOPERATION ON ECOWAS TRADE AND INVESTMENT AGREEMENTS - The National Association of Nigerian Traders NANTS

On the 28th day of May 1975, the then leaders of the various West African countries consummated the philosophy of a united region with the establishment of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), with the vision of a strong economic integration of member states anchored on the benefits of trade within the sub-region. 

Based on the foregoing, the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) was formulated in 1979 as one of the first and immediate instruments to galvanise the realization of development objective of the region. The ETLS was subsequently reviewed in 1995 as the framework for facilitating free trade among member states. Navigating the compass towards a Customs Union, the Authorities of Heads of States recently adopted the Common External Tariff (CET) as the legal framework that drives tariff for trade between the ECOWAS region and third party countries.