The Council of the ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority (ERCA) held its third session in Accra to Strengthen the Regional Competition Framework

Published On - October 9, 2025

Ibrima Tambajang ERCA Blog, Speeches and Press Releases

The Third Session of the Council of the ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority (ERCA) held in Accra to Strengthen the Regional Competition Framework

Accra, Republic of Ghana, 6–8 October 2025 — The Council of the ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority (ERCA) held its Third Statutory Session in Accra, Republic of Ghana, from 6th to 8th October 2025, to deliberate on key instruments aimed at enhancing the Authority’s institutional and operational capacity in regulating competition within the ECOWAS Common Market.

The meeting brought together members of the ERCA Council, the Executive Director, and senior staff of the Authority to discuss strategic, legal, and technical issues related to competition regulation in the region. The main objective of the session was to review and adopt key frameworks that will strengthen ERCA’s mandate and ensure harmonised enforcement of competition rules across Member States.

In his opening remarks, the Executive Director of ERCA and Secretary to the Council, Dr. Siméon K. KOFFI, welcomed the Council members and commended their commitment to promoting fair competition and regional integration. He underscored the importance of the session as an opportunity to improve ERCA’s institutional tools and operational procedures in light of evolving regional market dynamics.

The Chairperson of the Council, Dr. Juliette TWUMASI-ANOKYE, in her address, highlighted that the third session marked the first anniversary of the Council and represented a significant milestone in consolidating its activities. She urged members to engage constructively in the review of key documents to ensure that the outcomes contribute effectively to enhancing the efficiency and credibility of ERCA in fulfilling its regional mandate.

During the three-day deliberations, the Council reviewed and discussed the draft framework for merger evaluation reports, the format of Council decisions, the management of confidential information, and perspectives for the revision of ERCA’s legal instruments. These discussions aimed to establish a coherent, transparent and comprehensive system for handling, reporting and communicating on competition cases.  and updating competition laws.

Furthermore, the Council expressed strong support for the revision of ERCA’s legal instruments to align with current market realities and recommended a participatory and inclusive process that involves all relevant stakeholders. This would ensure ownership and effective implementation of the revised legal framework.

On the sidelines of the meeting, members of the Council paid a courtesy call to the Honourable Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry of Ghana, Mrs. Elizabeth Ofosu-Agyare, during which they discussed cooperation between ERCA and national competition authorities. The Council reaffirmed its readiness to support Ghana in finalising its Competition Law and to strengthen collaboration on regional competition matters.