Abuja, Nigeria May, 21st 2021. The ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority (ERCA) held a virtual capacity building session for the members of the Consultative Competition Committee (CCC) from 17 to 21 May 2021.

This was the first of its kind since ERCA started its activities. The rationale for the session was the need for ERCA to contribute to the capacity building of experts from national competition authorities with whom it will have to work in synergy in activities to be carried out jointly or in collaboration with the authorities, notably in the management of competition-related surveys and information, the creation of databases, the implementation of advocacy activities, in respect of competition and consumer protection.

During this five (5) half-day virtual workshop, the members of the Consultative Competition Committee discussed various competition-related matters, namely merger control and its impact on competition, abuse of dominance, restrictive trade practices, cartel investigations and advocacy for healthy competition in the ECOWAS region.

At the end of the training, the participants were pleased that the main objectives of the meeting were achieved. The objectives were to: (i) contribute to the capacity building of CCC members and ERCA staff; (ii) build capacity for staff of national competition authorities from Member States and ERCA staff on competition-related matters; and lastly, (iii) update participants’ knowledge on international trends with respect to competition.

It is worth noting that this session was attended by about thirty members of the ERCA Consultative Competition Committee and their partners in charge of competition, ERCA staff as well as competition experts from the UEMOA Commission.