The goal of the $15 billion Lagos-Abidjan Corridor Highway Development Project is to finalize and approve the design. On Saturday, heads of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) met in Lagos.
By linking five West African nations—Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin Republic, and Nigeria—through a 1,068-kilometer highway that will pass through eight border towns, beginning at Eric Moore in Lagos and ending in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, this vital infrastructure project is expected to strengthen regional economic integration.
The conference, which was presided over by Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, was reportedly centered on moving the project closer to the procurement stage, with construction set to start in 2025, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Umahi pointed out that the project has been developed for 11 years, with major funding from the African Development Bank, and is currently in the study phase.
“Over the past 11 years, the project design, ESIA design, conceptualization, and funding mechanisms have been ongoing,” he stated.
“As of today, we plan to hear from the expert committee regarding the design, so we anticipate that we will complete and approve the design today. Following that, we will likely establish the procurement objective during our subsequent meeting.”
The Lagos-Abidjan Highway project is anticipated to handle over 500,000 travelers per day and greatly increase trade, tourism, and economic activity in the area, according to the NAN report.
The Lagos-Abidjan Corridor Highway is anticipated to play a significant role in promoting regional integration. It is a component of the larger Dakar-Lagos Corridor, one of the main development initiatives of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Additional Insight
Mr. Francis Boakye, Ghana’s Minister of Roads and Highways, also spoke during the gathering. He underlined the importance of infrastructure in promoting socioeconomic growth, especially in emerging nations like West Africa.
He drew comparisons with the U.S. economic boom, which was mostly driven by its vast highway system, emphasizing how the Lagos-Abidjan highway would be crucial in promoting trade, tourism, and general economic expansion throughout the West African sub-region.
The Minister of Equipment and Road Maintenance for Côte d’Ivoire, Dr. Amede Kouakou, reaffirmed his nation’s commitment to moving the project forward quickly and emphasized the major advantages it will provide for Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, and the surrounding area.
