By Makutu Manneh
The Society of Women in Taxation West Africa (SWITWA), with support from the ECOWAS Commission and the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA), has convened a two-day stakeholder dialogue in The Gambia to promote women’s empowerment in cross-border trade.
The forum brings together policymakers, development partners, civil society organizations, and private sector leaders from across West Africa to address taxation challenges and other barriers affecting women traders.
Opening the event, First Lady Fatoumatta Bah Barrow described cross-border trade as “the heartbeat of any West African economy,” underscoring the central role women play in the sector. She noted that women are not only traders but also breadwinners, innovators, and vital contributors to food security and poverty reduction.
Despite these contributions, she said, women continue to face systemic obstacles that make trade unnecessarily difficult.
“If we are to enhance the ease of doing business for women in cross-border trading, we must commit to targeting reforms. These may include simplifying processes, financial inclusion, capacity building, and safe and gender-responsive borders, ensuring protection from harassment,” she stated.
Yankuba Darboe, Commissioner General of the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA), emphasized that women are the backbone of the regional economy, citing ECOWAS data that shows they account for more than 70 percent of informal cross-border traders. He noted that women play a vital role in safeguarding food security and sustaining local economies.
However, Darboe acknowledged that women traders continue to face major challenges, including security risks, harassment at border posts, limited knowledge of trade regulations, and restricted access to formal markets.
He stressed that these issues go beyond social concerns, describing them as economic barriers that stifle growth, limit revenue generation, and hinder the broader prosperity of the sub-region.
“Our task over the next few days is to bridge this gap. We must move from high-level protocols to on-the-ground practice. We need to demystify tax laws, simplify customs procedures, and ensure that the benefits of free trade are felt by women who power our markets every single day,” he said.
SWITWA Regional Chairperson Esi Suma Sam described the forum as a timely platform to examine the realities of informal cross-border trade and to propose gender-responsive solutions that enhance women’s participation, particularly under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“I encourage you to engage fully in the discussions, share your experience, and network with fellow participants so that the insights generated here translate into meaningful action for women across our region,” she said.
Founded in Nigeria in May 2010, the Society of Women in Taxation serves as the umbrella body for female members of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, advocating for women’s interests and advancing gender-responsive tax policy across the region.