The Abidjan-Lagos corridor highway, a priority project of ECOWAS, has advanced towards completing its technical studies with the final validation of revised draft design reports. This milestone was achieved during a four-day workshop that began on September 11, 2024, in Lagos, Nigeria. The event saw the participation of project directors and engineers from the five member countries along the corridor.
Organized by the ECOWAS Commission—the implementing agency coordinating the design, procurement, construction, and operation of this six-lane supranational highway—the workshop focused on finalizing technical details for a road that will connect Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire) and Lagos (Nigeria), traversing Ghana, Togo, and Benin. The highway will eventually be managed by the soon-to-be operational Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Management Authority.
At the workshop's opening session, Mr. Chris Appiah, Acting Director of Transport for the ECOWAS Commission, emphasized that the project is crucial for regional integration. "The project remains a key catalyst to deepening regional integration, stimulating economic growth and supporting poverty eradication efforts in the region," he stated.
Mr. Appiah noted that beyond being a 2×3 lane highway, it is an economic development tool designed to activate dormant economic activities and boost sectors such as tourism, industrialization and manufacturing, education, health among others. He highlighted benefits including increased road capacity and reduced travel time due to fewer impediments and non-tariff barriers. The corridor aims to interconnect other routes linking landlocked countries like Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger with major ports in the five corridor countries—ports that handle 85% of Europe's maritime freight.
Appiah also underscored plans for climate adaptation and resilience studies to identify potential hazards impacting highway design and operations. These studies aim to secure green finance grants and investment funds to support construction financing.
The development aligns with ECOWAS' 2050 Vision and strategies from member states aiming to promote efficient infrastructure for trade and sustainable development.
The technical validation workshop included engineers from Road Infrastructure Ministries of Corridor Countries along with experts from ECOWAS Commission’s Directorates of Transport and Environment. It also involved participants from the ECOWAS Project Preparation and Development Unit (PPDU), supported by development partners like the African Development Bank and European Union.
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