The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is on the verge of finalising the design for the highly anticipated $15 billion Lagos-Abidjan Highway project.
This massive infrastructure undertaking aims to connect five West African countries – Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin Republic, and Nigeria – through a 1,068-kilometer highway, spanning eight border towns from Eric Moore in Lagos to Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire.
According to Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, who chaired the meeting in Lagos, the project has been in development for 11 years, with significant backing from the African Development Bank.
“The design of the project, ESIA design, conceptualization, funding mechanisms have been ongoing for the past 11 years,” Umahi noted
The minister expressed optimism that the design would be finalized and approved, paving the way for the procurement phase, with construction slated to begin in 2025.
The Lagos-Abidjan Highway project is expected to have a profound impact on the region, carrying over 500,000 passengers daily and significantly boosting trade, tourism, and economic activities.
Ghana’s Minister of Roads and Highways, Francis Boakye, emphasized the importance of infrastructure in driving socioeconomic growth, drawing parallels with the US economic boom fueled by its extensive highway system.
The project is part of the broader Dakar-Lagos Corridor, a flagship development program of ECOWAS, aimed at promoting regional integration. With the African Development Bank already investing $479 million in the project, the stage is set for a transformative impact on West Africa’s economy
This ambitious project is poised to cement ECOWAS’s commitment to regional integration and economic growth. As the design approval nears, the excitement builds for a brighter future for West Africa.