ECOWAS approves final design for $15 Billion Lagos-Abidjan highway project

September 22, 2024

By Samuel Ogunsona

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has taken a significant step towards enhancing regional economic integration, nearing final approval for the $15 billion Lagos-Abidjan Corridor Highway Development Project.

The project, connecting Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin Republic, and Nigeria through a 1,068-kilometer highway, aims to boost trade, tourism, and economic activity in the region.

Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, chaired the ECOWAS meeting in Lagos, where member states finalized the design approval.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) report, the project has been under development for 11 years, receiving significant support from the African Development Bank.

“The design of the project, ESIA design, conceptualisation, funding mechanisms have been on in the past 11 years,” Umahi said.

“As of today, we are going to listen to the committee of experts in terms of the design and so we believe that we will finalise and approve the design today, and then we set the goal for procurement, probably in our next meeting.”

The report also noted that the project after completion is expected to convene at least 500,000 passengers daily which will boost tourism and trade among member states.