The ECOWAS Commission, through the Directorate of Private Sector and Industry, in collaboration with the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) and with technical support from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), convened a one-day Consultative Meeting with the Confederation of Private Sector Organisations of Tourism in ECOWAS (COPITOUR).

The meeting was held on 29 July 2026 in Abuja, Nigeria, on the sidelines of the 9th Nigeria Tourism Investors Forum and Exhibition (NTIFE 2026), which took place from 30–31 July 2026. The one-day meeting brought together Presidents of National Tourism Associations in Member States, Directors General of Tourism Development Agencies, and key stakeholders from across West Africa, including members of  the COPITOUR  as delegates from Ghana, Guinea, Togo, Sierra Leone, Liberia, The Gambia, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Nigeria.

While declaring the meeting open, the Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Kalilou Sylla, who was represented by the Principal Programme Officer, Industrial and Technology Development, Ms. Anna Wadda, reaffirmed the ECOWAS Commission’s commitment to strengthening Regional Business Associations as strategic partners in regional integration. He emphasized that tourism constitutes a powerful instrument for promoting peace, cultural understanding, employment, investment and economic prosperity in West Africa

The Directorate of Private Sector and Industry, ECOWAS Commission, presented the Framework for the Recognition of Regional Business Associations to the COPITOUR, which establishes minimum standards for the recognition and accreditation of RBAs in the region. The Framework is built on seven (7) pillars, each weighted to provide a performance-based accreditation mechanism. COPITOUR delegates unanimously adopted the Framework, asserting that it provides a strategic instrument designed to strengthen governance, transparency, accountability, and performance of RBAs in the region.

Presenting the framework, Chief John Umoren on behalf of the ECOWAS Commission Private Sector and Industry directorate and Business and Enterprise Promotion Division  where Tourism Unit operates; posited that Tourism extends beyond hotels and travel agencies, noting that the sector covers a wide value chain with significant opportunities for economic development. He stressed the need for greater recognition of Sports Tourism and other creative sectors as business opportunities, urging COPITOUR to expand its scope and embrace the concept of “Sports as Business” as low hanging fruits.

The meeting was declared a resounding success, with delegates expressing optimism that the Consultative Meeting marks the foundation of a greater ECOWAS-COPITOUR collaboration and partnership.