The Gambia Hosts Inaugural ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority Conference

The Gambia further strengthened its role as a host of regional dialogue in September 2026 when the ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority (ERCA) held its first Annual Conference at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre in Bijilo from 15–17 September.

Held under the theme “Competition Policy and Market Integration in ECOWAS: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities,” the three-day conference brought together close to 300 participants from 12 ECOWAS Member States. Participants included representatives of national competition authorities, sector regulators, policymakers, businesses, academics, legal practitioners, judges, development partners and international experts. Proceedings were conducted in English, French and Portuguese.

Discussions focused on an increasingly important question for West Africa: how to create a genuinely integrated regional market in which businesses can compete fairly and consumers are adequately protected. Topics surrounding competition enforcement included cross-border anti-competitive practices, merger control, the digital economy, consumer protection and barriers affecting the movement of goods and services within the ECOWAS market.

The conference was particularly significant as it marked ERCA’s first annual conference, establishing a new regional platform for dialogue and cooperation on competition policy and market integration. ERCA described the gathering as an opportunity for institutions, policymakers and the private sector to exchange experience and consider what is required to build fairer, more competitive and inclusive markets across West Africa.

The Gambia as a Regional Meeting Destination

Hosting the inaugural conference also placed attention on The Gambia’s growing capacity to accommodate major regional and international meetings. The Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre provided the setting for delegates from across West Africa and beyond to meet in Bijilo for three days of technical and policy discussions.

For visitors, businesses and international partners, events such as the ERCA Conference provide another window into The Gambia beyond its traditional tourism profile: as a meeting point for regional cooperation, investment dialogue, institutional exchange and economic integration.

The conference concluded on 17 September with a continued emphasis on cooperation towards an open, fair and genuinely integrated West African market.

Official information: ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority (ERCA)