In a bold move to formalize and strengthen the informal economy, the ECOWAS Commission has launched a regional bootcamp designed to equip stakeholders with practical skills for collecting and processing informal cross-border trade (ICBT) data.
The initiative is part of efforts to harmonize trade data collection across West Africa, with a strong focus on supporting women and youth who make up a significant portion of the informal trading sector.
The bootcamp trained over 30 master trainers—including officials from national statistical offices and ministries of trade—on ECOWAS Informal Cross Border Trade (ECO-ICBT) methodologies. These trainers will, in turn, train enumerators and coordinators in their home countries to gather accurate, timely data.
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"This bootcamp is a key step toward formalizing informal trade, which is the heartbeat of many local economies," said Dr. Seydou Sacko, Acting Principal Program Officer for Informal Trade and Competition at ECOWAS. "Reliable ICBT data is foundational for inclusive policymaking and regional economic integration."
The training covered digital data tools, ethics in data collection, and practical fieldwork, laying the groundwork for the 2025 rollout of national pilot programs to operationalize ICBT desks across ECOWAS member states.
Representing Ghana's Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Deputy Director Mary Gbedemah Asare reaffirmed the country's commitment to regional cooperation through data-driven development.
The bootcamp also received support from partners including GIZ's ECOWAS Agricultural Trade Programme, the West African Association of Cross-Border Traders (WACTAF), CILSS, the Food Systems Resilience Program, and ReCAP Africa.
Zacks Yohanna, Head of ECOWAS Unit, Trade and Investment of Nigeria, urged participants to take ownership of the data initiative. "Let us institutionalize ICBT data collection and advocate for sustained funding to ensure its success," he said.
Experts say better data will help shape smarter policies under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), improve access to financing for informal traders, and unlock new growth opportunities for small businesses involved in cross-border commerce.
