Canada-backed initiative launched to boost women’s trade in West Africa

A new initiative aimed at empowering women traders and enhancing trade efficiency across West Africa has been launched in Ghana. 

The Making Trade Work for Women in West Africa Project, spearheaded by TradeMark Africa (TMA) and CECI, comes with a C$20 million commitment from Global Affairs Canada to support women-led businesses in cross-border trade.

The six-year project, running from 2024 to 2030, will directly impact 80,000 traders, with at least 70% being women across Burkina Faso, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria. It aims to enhance market access, improve financial services for women, and eliminate gender-based trade barriers at border crossings.

Project to promote gender equality in trade

Speaking at the launch in Accra, David Beer, CEO of TradeMark Africa, highlighted that the initiative aligns with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement and seeks to ensure that trade benefits all segments of society.

"We are delighted to be launching this program with the support of the Canadian government and in partnership with CECI to make it easier for women to trade across borders. This project will focus on reducing gender-based discrimination at borders, working with border officials and traders," he stated.

The project will address longstanding challenges that women traders face, such as lower earnings, limited financing options, excessive bureaucracy, and harassment at border crossings. A World Bank study along the Tema-Ouagadougou and Abidjan-Lagos corridors found that women represent 38 per cent and 61 per cent of traders, respectively, yet they earn 30 per cent to 50 per cent less than men for the same volume of trade.

Addressing systemic trade barriers

The Board Chair of TradeMark Africa, Hailemariam Desalegn Boshe, stressed the economic impact of gender inequality, noting that it costs Sub-Saharan Africa approximately $95 billion annually.

"Women constitute a significant portion of our workforce, yet systemic barriers prevent them from fully participating in trade. This project will directly support 80,000 traders, 70% of whom are women, across six countries," he noted.

Boshe further highlighted that while the AfCFTA Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade, adopted last year, was a major step forward, its success depends on governments translating policies into real business conditions on the ground.

"Good policies mean little if they do not improve business conditions. Governments, private sector players, and regional bodies like ECOWAS and AfCFTA must step up, stop squabbling, and implement reforms that make trade more inclusive," he asserted.

Canada’s commitment to women’s empowerment

Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana, Myriam Montrat, reiterated Canada’s commitment to women’s economic empowerment and stressed the importance of investing in projects that enable women to thrive in business.

"Canada’s priority is women’s empowerment. We believe that when women thrive, communities thrive, countries thrive, and societies as a whole prosper," she stated.

Montrat explained that Canada’s C$20 million investment will be managed by CECI and TradeMark Africa, who will oversee how the funds are used to ensure they deliver measurable impact for women traders.

Key interventions under the project

The Making Trade Work for Women in West Africa Project will focus on several key areas to create a more equitable trading environment. These include:

- Enhancing border safety by training officials to protect women traders from harassment and gender-based violence.

- Strengthening women's associations to ensure they have a voice in trade policy decisions.

- Implementing gender-responsive trade policies by reviewing regulations and procedures to remove discriminatory barriers.

- Developing inclusive regional value chains that enable women traders to leverage market opportunities and improve their livelihoods.

- Additionally, the project will promote digital financial solutions, financial literacy programmes, and sustainable trade practices to enhance women’s participation in formal markets.

A call for better data on women in trade

Boshe also emphasised the urgent need for up-to-date data on the economic impact of gender disparities, noting that outdated statistics hinder effective policy decisions.

"We cannot keep using statistics from a decade ago. Outdated data leads to weak policies and missed opportunities. We need real-time insights to make informed decisions and drive meaningful change," he challenged.

The project is expected to increase the number of women traders using sustainable practices by 50 per cent, enhance their income levels by 40 per cent, and sensitise over 50,000 individuals on gender, trade, and environmental sustainability.

With support from regional bodies like ECOWAS, AfCFTA, and UEMOA, the initiative is poised to drive lasting change in West Africa’s trade landscape, ensuring that women move from the margins to the centre of economic growth.