The development of the services sector is gaining more momentum globally. It is considered a vital sector in the generation of jobs, wealth and opportunities in investment. The sector is a key sector for the promotion of competitiveness and also for integrating into the global supply services economy.

ECOWAS is in the process of formulating and adopting a Regional Services Policy. In 2016, the process to develop an overarching services policy to strengthen policy formulation in the services, develop the suitable set of regulatory and institutional frameworks and to build requisite capacities in trade in services negotiations commenced.

In December 2019, the ECOWAS Summit took note of the progress made in the region towards the development of an ECOWAS Common Schedule of Specific Commitment on Trade in Services, particularly the Services Policy Review (SPR), and directed the ECOWAS Commission to provide assistance to the Member States in arriving at common position on the Schedule of Specific Commitment on Trade in Services for the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA).

In the absence of a single services policy reference document for the region and in view of ongoing negotiations on the AfCFTA, two (2) regional meetings to review and harmonize Member States’ contributions into a single Schedule for engagement with other State Parties were convened in November 2019 and in January 2020