Hybrid. February1, 2024
ECOWAS E-Commerce Strategy 
and Implementation Plan 2023-2027
60th Session of the Committee on Trade and Development Aid For Trade
Kolawole A. Sofola
ECOWAS Commission
RD/COMTD/AFT/39 
- 3 -OVERIVEW
•ELABORATIONAND CONSULTATIVE PROCESS
•VISION ANDSTRATEGIC GOALS
•SG1: INSTITUTIONAL STRENGTHENING
•SG2: SECURING TRUST
•SG3: E-COMMERCE INTELLIGENCE
•SG4: INCLUSION
•IMPLEMENTATION PLAN : STRATEGICOBJECTIVES AND MEASURES
•GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK : COMPOSITION , MISSION, ROLE AND
RESPONSIBILITIES
RD/COMTD/AFT/39 
- 4 -Consultative FrameworkMapping
eT Readiness 
Assessment
Strategy 
ElaborationBilateral 
meetingsRegional 
ConsultationsSensitization 
and Advocacy Data 
gatheringStakeholder 
IdentificationRelated 
programmes
Strategy 
ValidationInternal Working 
Group Meetings 
ECOMOTActorsAuthorization
Management
•ECOWAS IWG
•National Focal Points
•Public Sector Actors
•Development Partners
•ECOWAS IWG
•National Focal Points
•Public Sector Actors
•Private Sector
•Development Partners
•ECOWAS IWG
•National Focal Points
•Senior Trade Officials
•Private Sector
•ECOWAS IWG
•National Focal Points
•Senior Trade Officials
•ECOMOT
Legality  LegitimacyStrategy ElaborationELABORATION AND CONSULTATIVE PROCESS: 
CONSULTATIVE FRAMEWORK
RD/COMTD/AFT/39 
- 5 -OVERIVEW
•ELABORATIONAND CONSULTATIVE PROCESS
•VISION ANDSTRATEGIC GOALS
•SG1: INSTITUTIONAL STRENGTHENING
•SG2: SECURING TRUST
•SG3: E-COMMERCE INTELLIGENCE
•SG4: INCLUSION
•IMPLEMENTATION PLAN : STRATEGICOBJECTIVES AND MEASURES
•GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK : COMPOSITION , MISSION, ROLE AND
RESPONSIBILITIES
RD/COMTD/AFT/39 
- 6 -African vision 2063_The Africa We Want
“An integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a 
dynamic force in the international arena.”
African Digital Transformation Strategy (2020 -2030)
“An Integrated and inclusive digital society and economy in Africa that improves the quality 
of life of Africa’s citizens, strengthen the existing economic sector, enable its diversification 
and development, and ensure continental ownership with Africa as a producer and not only 
a consumer in the global economy”
ECOWAS Vision 2050
“A fully integrated Community of peoples, living in a peaceful and prosperous region, with 
strong institutions and respect for fundamental rights and freedoms, striving for inclusive 
and sustainable development”VISION AND STRATEGICGOALS
SCOPE AND RELATED REGIONAL INITIATIVES
RD/COMTD/AFT/39 
- 7 -“A sustainable, inclusive and secure e-commerce ecosystem supportive of ECOWAS' efforts to use technology to 
accelerate structural change and foster regional integration through economic diversification and job creation.”VISION AND STRATEGICGOALS
SG2: SECTURE TRUST 
E-COMMERCE SUPPLY CHAIN
TRUST IN TERMS OF THE DIGITALIZED PART OF
THE TRANSACTION
TRUST IN TERMS OF THE PHYSICAL/LOGISTICS
PART OF THE TRANSACTIONSG1: INSTITUTIONS
INSTITUTIONAL STRENGTHENING
STRENGTHEN DIRECTORATES OF TRADE
ACCOMPANY AND SUPPORT E-COMMERCE
DEVELOPMENT
SG3: E-COMMERCE INTELLIGENCE 
POTENTIAL AND ACTUAL USERS
STATISTICS AND MONITORING/FOLLOW-UP OF
THE E-COMMERCE MARKET
ENTRY POINT TOWARDS THE E-COMMERCE
MARKETSG4: INCLUSION
DIGITALLY VULNERABLE
WOMEN
YOUTH
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
INFORMAL SECTOR
SMALL (RURAL) PRODUCERS
RD/COMTD/AFT/39 
- 8 -STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
1.1-Anchor e-commerce development at 
the core of Trade Ministries
1.2-Provide sectoral orientations for e-
commerce development
1.3-Support the elaboration and 
implementation of national e-commerce 
strategies in every Member State
1.4-Monitor national and regional e-
commerce initiatives in the regionSG1: INSTITUTIONAL 
STRENGTHENING
STRENGTHEN 
DIRECTORATES OF TRADEACCOMPANY AND SUPPORT  
E-COMMERCE  
DEVELOPMENTSG1 IS NOT
•Replicationof the 
national/regional
industrialstrategies
(either ECOWAS or MS)•Replicationof the 
national export 
strategies
•Competitionwiththe 
ICT and digital economy
departmentsand 
strategies(either 
ECOWAS or MS)VISION AND STRATEGICGOALS :
INSTITUTIONAL STRENGTHENING
RD/COMTD/AFT/39 
- 9 -SG2: SECURE TRUST
TRUST IN TERMS OF THE
DIGITALIZED PART OF THE
TRANSACTION
TRUST IN TERMS OF THE
PHYSICAL/LOGISTICS PART
OF THE TRANSACTIONSG2 IS NOT
•Update of the new
legalframework
•Postal strategy
•Infrastructure
(railway, roads)
strategy
•Customs reform
strategy
•Digital payment
strategySTRATEGIC OBJECTIVES2.1-Harmonize and update the ECOWAS Digital 
Economy legal and regulatory framework
2.2-Adopt a regional policy for electronic 
certification
2.3-Generalize access to secure digital payment 
services
2.4-Design an ECOWAS labelling policy to ensure 
the quality of e-commerce marketplaces and 
products
2.5-Design a regional e-commerce 
delivery/logistic services strategy
2.6-Adopt ECOWAS guidelines for the 
development and promotion of secure point of 
sales systems
2.7-Review digital addressing experiences and 
agree on an approach for ECOWASVISION AND STRATEGICGOALS :
SECURING TRUST
RD/COMTD/AFT/39 
- 10 -STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
3.1-Improve data and statistics to monitor 
e-commerce trends in the region
3.2-Support the growth of potential and 
actual e-commerce merchants
3.3-Identify the needs of e-commerce 
merchants and consumers and provide 
targeted assistance
3.4-Support and communicate on capacity 
building programmesSG3: E-COMMERCE 
INTELLIGENCE 
STATISTICS AND 
MONITORING/FOLLOW-
UP OF THE E-
COMMERCE MARKET
ENTRY POINT TOWARDS 
THE E-COMMERCE 
MARKETSG3 IS NOT
•Replicationof digital 
skillsprograms
•National statistical
agency
•Privatesector
development
strategyVISION AND STRATEGICGOALS :
E-COMMERCE INTELLIGENCE
RD/COMTD/AFT/39 
- 11 -STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
4.1. Make e-commerce development 
inclusive by focusing on women and 
youth
4.2-Make e-commerce development 
inclusive by focusing on people with 
disabilities
4.3-Support and provide incentives for 
informal cross-border traders (ICBTs) to 
formalize
4.4-Facilitate access to e-commerce for 
small (rural) producersSG4: INCLUSION
DIGITAL VULNERABILITY
WOMEN, YOUTH ,
P
EOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES
INFORMAL SECTOR
SMALL & RURAL
PRODUCERSSG4 IS NOT
•Replicationof inclusion
program (ECOWAS
youthprograms)
•Social policy/program
for ECOWAS countries
•Agricultural policy
•Genderpolicy
•ICBTsstrategyVISION AND STRATEGICGOALS :
INCLUSION
RD/COMTD/AFT/39 
- 12 -OVERIVEW
•ELABORATION ANDCONSULTATIVE PROCESS
•VISION ANDSTRATEGIC GOALS
•IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 2023-2027
•GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK : COMPOSITION , MISSION, ROLE AND
RESPONSIBILITIES
RD/COMTD/AFT/39 
- 13 -VISION
STRATEGIC GOALS (4)
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES (19)
MEASURES (64)IMPLEMENTATION PLAN: 2023-2027
RD/COMTD/AFT/39 
- 14 -OVERIVEW
•DEVELOPMENT OF THEECOWAS E -COMMERCE STRATEGY : MAIN
MILESTONES
•VISION ANDSTRATEGIC GOALS
•IMPLEMENTATION PLAN : STRATEGICOBJECTIVES AND MEASURES
•GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK : COMPOSITION , MISSION, ROLE AND
RESPONSIBILITIES
RD/COMTD/AFT/39 
- 15 -GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK
REGIONALCOMMITTEE
ON E-COMMERCEE-COMMERCE
COMMUNITYFORUM
EXPERT GROUPSINTERNALWORKINGGROUP ON E-
COMMERCE
RD/COMTD/AFT/39 
- 16 -Thank you
Kolawole A. Sofola
Ag. Director – Trade, 
E: ksofola@ecowas.intECOWAS Commission,
101 Yakubu Gowon Crescent,
Asokoro District, PMB 401,
Abuja, NIGERIA
RD/COMTD/AFT/39 
- 17 -__________