The Council of the ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority (ERCA)paid a courtesy visit to the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Sierra Leone

Published On - November 28, 2025

Ibrima Tambajang Uncategorized

As part of its mandate to promote and implement the Community Competition Rules, the Council of the ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority (ERCA) paid a courtesy visit to the Ministry of Trade and Industry of the Republic of Sierra Leone. The delegation, led by the Secretary of the Council, was received by the Honourable Minister Alpha Ibrahim SESAY, accompanied by senior officials of the Ministry and representatives of the Sierra Leone National Consumer Protection Commission.

The main purpose of the visit was to brief national authorities on progress made in implementing the ECOWAS Competition Regulation (CCR), particularly the adoption of decisions relating to mergers and acquisitions. It also provided an opportunity to review the ongoing process to revise the national competition and consumer protection law, which is being supported technically and financially by ERCA.

During the working session, two key statements were delivered:

  • Dr Siméon K. KOFFI, Executive Director and Secretary of the Council, stated:

“Finalising the draft law on competition and consumer protection is essential to establishing an independent national authority and strengthening both the competition framework and consumer protection in Sierra Leone. ERCA will continue to support the Ministry throughout this process, with assistance from the EU/PascoPro project to address capacity-building needs.”

  • Dr Juliette TWUMASI-ANOKYE, Chairperson of the ERCA Council, emphasised:

“This visit reflects our commitment to ensuring a harmonised application of competition rules across ECOWAS. We encourage Sierra Leone to complete the draft law as soon as possible in order to guarantee a fair competitive environment conducive to economic development.”

For his part, the Honourable Minister SESAY expressed his satisfaction with the strong collaboration between his Ministry and ERCA. He noted that the draft law, currently being legally finalised by the Ministry of Justice, is expected to be presented to Cabinet before the end of 2025 and submitted to Parliament during the first quarter of 2026. He also highlighted the importance of strengthening the capacities of officials of the Ministry and the National Consumer Protection Commission, given the limited number of competition law experts in the country.

The meeting concluded with constructive discussions on future avenues for cooperation between ERCA and the Ministry, reaffirming the commitment of the Government of Sierra Leone to regional integration and the promotion of transparent and fair business practices.