The importance of the economic empowerment of women to the development of West Africa has been highlighted by the Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana, Myriam Montrat, who has emphasized the need for West African governments to create the necessary environment for cross-border trading among women in the sub-region.

According to her, economically empowered women have the potential to drastically develop an entire society hence the need for governments to be deliberate about instituting measures for the empowerment of women traders in the sub-region.

Speaking at the launch of the Making Trade Work for Women in West Africa Project on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, Myriam Montrat restated the commitment of the Canadian government to empowering women traders in Ghana, Benin, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Togo, and Nigeria.

"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.

The Making Trade Work for Women in West Africa Project is the brainchild of collaborative efforts between TradeMark Africa (TMA) and CECI, seeking to champion gender equality in trade within the corridors of Ghana, Benin, Ivory Coast, Togo, Burkina Faso, and Nigeria.

The six-year project will see Global Affairs Canada commit $20 million to support and promote cross-border businesses led by women in the aforementioned countries.

It is expected that 80,000 traders, with at least 70% being women, across Burkina Faso, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria will benefit from the project.

Speaking at the launch in Accra, David Beer, CEO of TradeMark Africa, stated that the project will help erase some of the barriers facing cross-border trade by West African women.

"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% and 61% of traders, respectively, yet they earn 30% to 50% less than men for the same volume of trade.

The Board Chair of TradeMark Africa, Hailemariam Desalegn Boshe, said, "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.

EK