The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on February 12, 2026, published a call for Expressions of Interest for the recruitment of an Individual Consultant to serve as Customs Advisor on the ECOWAS Transit System and SIGMAT. The position forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen regional trade and customs systems.
ECOWAS comprises 12 West African countries—Benin, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, and Togo. Established in 1975, the regional body promotes economic integration, cooperation, and sustainable development, with a focus on creating a unified regional market through trade liberalization and the implementation of a Common External Tariff (CET) under a consolidated Customs Union.
The selected consultant will support the Directorate of Customs Union and Taxation in consolidating the ECOWAS Customs Union and strengthening regional transit and customs frameworks. Key responsibilities include providing technical support for the implementation of the ECOWAS Community Transit Procedure and assisting in finalizing and adopting the ECOWAS Transit Manual of Procedures.
The consultant will also help operationalize the Community transit guarantee mechanism, support the effective implementation of the ECOWAS Customs Code, and contribute to trade facilitation measures aimed at improving the free movement of goods. The role includes preparing technical reports and presentations to enhance the Directorate’s transit programs.
The contract will run for an initial 12 months and may be renewed based on performance and funding availability. Applicants must be nationals of ECOWAS member states and possess at least a master’s degree and 10 years’ experience in customs administration and trade facilitation, with strong knowledge of ECOWAS customs instruments such as CET, ETLS, and SIGMAT. Applications must be submitted by March 3, 2026, at 17:00 GMT+1, and the working languages for the assignment are English and French.
