Trade finance in West Africa

A joint publication on “Trade Finance in West Africa” was launched by Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and International Finance Corporation (IFC) Managing Director Makhtar Diop on 12 October in Washington DC. Using the results of a survey of banks in the four largest economies of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) — Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal — the publication assesses the shortfall in trade finance in these countries. It also outlines ways of removing obstacles to credit facilities and of unleashing the trade potential of the region.