Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey has called for greater efforts to convert the bloc’s economic strengths into tangible development outcomes, urging member states to leverage shared advantages to attract investment, create jobs and drive sustainable growth.
Botchwey made the call while speaking at Invest Lagos 3.0, an event organised through a partnership between the Lagos State Government and the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC).
She said the Commonwealth’s value extends beyond historical ties, noting that its 56 member countries remain connected through common systems and institutions that support trade and investment.
“We share language, legal traditions, business practices, education systems, institutions and deep people-to-people ties,” she said.
“These connections are commercial assets. They reduce friction. They build trust. They lower risk. They make it easier for businesses to trade, invest and grow across borders.”
According to the Secretary-General, the Commonwealth’s population of 2.7 billion people, most of whom are under the age of 30, presents significant economic opportunities. She pointed to the widely recognised Commonwealth Advantage, which enables trade among member countries at costs that are approximately 21 per cent lower than those between comparable non-member nations.
However, Botchwey stressed that favourable conditions alone would not automatically translate into prosperity.
“But advantage, by itself, is not enough. An advantage unused is only a statistic.
“Our task is to turn that advantage into jobs, investment, supply chains, infrastructure, innovation and growth that people can feel in their daily lives,” said.
Speaking further, she noted that amid evolving global trade dynamics, rapid technological changes and heightened competition for investment, countries must prioritise building trust and creating stable environments capable of attracting long-term capital.
“For investors, the question is no longer where the highest return is, only. It is also: where is the trust? Where is the talent? Where is the market? Where is the regulatory confidence? Where is the long-term growth story?”
Botchwey highlighted initiatives being implemented by the Commonwealth Secretariat to assist member countries in areas such as digital trade, investment facilitation, regulatory cooperation and improved access to finance, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises.
She also emphasised the need for stronger collaboration to ensure economic opportunities produce measurable results.
“We need execution. We need scale. We need confidence. We need partnerships that deliver.”
Reflecting on the organisation’s future role in the global economy, the Secretary-General said the Commonwealth possesses the networks required to strengthen trade and investment ties among its members.
“The Commonwealth has the network. Now we must bring them together.”
She added that these objectives would remain central to discussions at the Commonwealth Business Forum 2026, scheduled to take place from November 2 to 4 during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
The forum, organised by CWEIC, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda and the Commonwealth Secretariat, will bring together government and business leaders to deepen economic cooperation, trade and investment across the Commonwealth.
