African Development Bank Reasserts Support for West Africa’s Abidjan-Lagos Highway Project
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has unequivocally reinforced its commitment to funding the ambitious construction project of a highway between Abidjan and Lagos. This development marks a significant milestone in a long-term project that aims to bolster regional connectivity and economic integration in the West African region. The highway project, upon completion, is set to revolutionize trade routes and transportation logistics, thereby stimulating economic growth and development in the region.
Regional and International Support for the Highway Project
The first roundtable on the Abidjan-Lagos highway included representatives from over 30 regional and international development finance institutions. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Heads of State has decided to expedite the construction of this highway, with the African Development Bank playing a pivotal role in securing funding. The Bank has already donated USD 25 million for the preparatory phase of the project. Furthermore, alongside its partners, the Bank mobilized an impressive USD 15.6 billion during the Africa Investment Forum (AIF) in 2022.
The proposed highway will connect the economically vibrant cities and ports, as well as the most densely populated urban areas in West Africa. The leaders of Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo, the countries the highway will traverse, have urged the ECOWAS Commission to hasten the completion of the detailed design study, financial and implementation strategy, and to prepare the tender documentation to initiate the construction phase of the highway.
Commitment to the Highway Project
In a testament to their commitment to the project, the leaders have decided to establish the headquarters of the Abidjan-Lagos Committee Management Authority (ALCoMA) in Côte d’Ivoire. The ALCoMA, comprised of representatives from ECOWAS and the beneficiary countries, is tasked with managing the project.
Following this decision, an initial round table of development finance institutions was organized with the ECOWAS Commission on 26 September 2023 at the headquarters of the African Development Bank in Abidjan. The primary goal of the round table was to update the main regional and international development finance institutions on this major regional project.
Technical and Financial Aspects of the Project
The meeting also served as an awareness-raising platform and soft market test for the project, confirming the interest expressed by investors during AIF 2022 and considering their recommendations and requirements. Meanwhile, efforts are progressing to finalize the project’s technical studies in October 2023.
The Abidjan-Lagos highway project envisions a 1,081-kilometre highway linking five countries in West Africa: Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria. The new corridor will connect major ports and key urban areas in West Africa, providing maritime port access to landlocked countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Chad by linking to other corridors along the north-south axis.
Impact on Trade and Economy
The creation of this highway will energize the transportation network, including roads, railways, ports, and airports, in West Africa. It will supplement the Enugu-Bamenda corridor, which links southeastern Nigeria in West Africa to southwestern Cameroon in Central Africa, significantly accelerating the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The route between Abidjan and Lagos accounts for 75 percent of commercial activities in West Africa. The transport sector represents 5 to 8 percent of the region’s gross domestic product and plays a crucial role in economic development and job creation, especially for women and young people.