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The ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority (ERCA) held its 5th statutory session of the Council from 19 to 20 February 2026 in Dakar (Republic of Senegal), dedicated to reviewing institutional and regulatory matters related to the enforcement of competition rules in West Africa.
This meeting forms part of ERCA’s institutional consolidation process and the implementation of its mandate to promote the effective application of community competition rules and market integration across the West African region.
The 5th Council session specifically defined the main elements related to the organisation of the ERCA Annual Conference on Competition and reviewed the draft concept note for the event. The Conference will provide an opportunity for stakeholders at national, regional, continental, and international levels to exchange views on topics related to the overall theme: “Competition Policy and Market Integration in ECOWAS: Issues and Challenges”, with a view to defining the strategic, organisational, and operational directions necessary for its success.
More specifically, the work enabled the Council to:
- approve the relevance of the conference theme and objectives;
- identify the strategic discussion areas focusing on market integration, cooperation among competition authorities, strategic sectors, and consumer protection;
- review the institutional and organisational arrangements, including the establishment of the scientific and logistics committees;
- define practical provisions for preparation, communication, logistics, and documentation of the event;
- adopt a roadmap for the organisation of the conference, scheduled for mid-September 2026.
The Council emphasised that this conference will constitute a major regional platform for dialogue among competition authorities, public policymakers, international organisations, the private sector, experts, and technical partners, aimed at identifying strategic reforms to strengthen competitiveness and market integration in ECOWAS.
In his opening address, the ERCA Executive Director, Dr Siméon K. Koffi, recalled that this initiative comes after five years of the Authority’s existence and seeks to strengthen stakeholder awareness as well as regional cooperation on competition matters.
The Chair of the ERCA Council, Dr Juliette Twumasi-Anokye, stressed that organising this annual conference will enhance the visibility of ERCA and highlight the institution’s essential role in managing competition affairs and market integration in West Africa.
Council members expressed their unanimous support for the initiative and stressed the need for rigorous preparation to ensure the success of this first ERCA regional conference.
The session concluded with a renewed commitment from the Council and the ERCA Secretariat to continue preparations for the conference scheduled for September 2026.