This Directorate is responsible for policy formulation, planning and implementation of the trade sector. It carries out these functions in close collaboration with other stakeholders as trade is a crosscutting issue. The Directorate takes the lead role in trade negotiations. It advises government on matters relating to domestic and foreign trade, conducts studies on export potentials, formulate trade policies and provide statistical trade data.The Directorate is also responsible for all bilateral and multilateral trade issues, and also coordinate ECOWAS matters in the country.