The ECOWAS Commission, with the support of TradeMark Africa, organized a two-day training and capacity-building workshop for border officials at the Akanu-Noepe Joint Border Post between the Republic of Ghana and the Republic of Togo from 20-21 November 2025 in Lomé, Togo.

The training sought to strengthen the operational capacity of border officials and enhance coordination among key agencies by improving their understanding of the JBP concept, commitments under the Bilateral Agreement signed between the two Member States, harmonized procedures, and joint operational mechanisms to promote efficient border management, trade facilitation, and regional integration.

Participants shared experiences and provided critical feedback to the ECOWAS Commission as part of measures to ensure the efficient and sustainable operation of the Akanu–Noepe Joint Border Post. Among the key recommendations from the training workshop were the development of a sustainable funding mechanism for JBP operations, regular engagement with relevant national authorities to address challenges at the JBP, and ECOWAS Commission support in the immediate retooling and equipping of the Akanu-Noepe JBP.

In all, forty-five (45) participants took part in the training session, which focused on topics including the JBP concept, the legal and institutional framework for the operations of the Joint Border Post, the role and mandate of the Joint Border Management Committee, digital tools for cross-border trade facilitation and social inclusion, and environmental and sustainable border management.

The Akanu–Noepe Joint Border Post plays a crucial role in the facilitation of trade and transport along the Abidjan–Lagos Corridor and serves as a critical node for intermodal logistics value chains. It also provides an important link in transport connectivity to the Sahelian hinterlands of the region.