The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have conducted high-level consultations regarding the extension of the West Africa Regional Integration Strategy Paper (RISP) from its original end date in 2025 to 2027. The discussions, held at ECOWAS headquarters in Abuja from February 4 to 6, 2026, involved senior management from both organizations. The aim was to align priorities and validate a regional operations program for AfDB support during the proposed extension.
During the meeting, ECOWAS updated the AfDB on recent socio-economic and political developments in West Africa. These updates included efforts to promote regional integration, maintain constitutional order, and strengthen cooperation among member states according to ECOWAS principles. The engagement followed a mid-term review by the AfDB Board of Directors in September 2025 that adjusted RISP’s focus to strengthening infrastructure and investment security for sustainable development as well as improving resilience and governance.
In his opening remarks, ECOWAS Commission President Dr. Omar Alieu Touray welcomed the AfDB delegation led by Mr. Lamin Barrow, Director General for West Africa, and Dr. Abdul Kamara, Director General for Nigeria. Dr. Touray acknowledged the bank’s long-standing partnership with ECOWAS since 1988 across sectors such as infrastructure, agriculture, trade, customs, energy, health, education, and capacity development.
“On behalf of ECOWAS, I want to use this opportunity to commend the AfDB’s commitment to spur sustainable economic development and social progress in its regional member countries and in ECOWAS region to contribute to poverty reduction. I also want to commend the Bank for the initiative of today’s consultation, aimed at considering ECOWAS views and priorities in the extension exercise of its 2020-2025 Regional Integration Strategy Paper (RISP) to end in 2027. I welcome the constant and various consultations held with the Bank to strengthen ECOWAS-AfDB cooperation and align its intervention with ECOWAS strategic vision and priorities. ECOWAS deeply appreciate the AfDB multifaceted support to ECOWAS since 1988 in various domain such as agriculture, infrastructure, trade, custom, capacity development, health, education, industry, and energy’’ Dr. TOURAY said.
Dr. Touray emphasized that these consultations demonstrate AfDB’s willingness to adapt its interventions based on evolving regional needs while aligning with ECOWAS Vision 2050 objectives: deeper integration; stronger peace and security; inclusive development; good governance; and equitable partnerships.
He also highlighted appreciation for AfDB’s involvement in major regional infrastructure projects like the Praia–Dakar–Abidjan Corridor and Abidjan–Lagos Corridor—projects seen as key drivers for growth and job creation.
Mr. Lamin Barrow described extending RISP as a strategic decision intended “to ensure that regional operations are fit for purpose and a driver of inclusive growth.” He stated: “Following the coming to term of the current West Africa RISP in December 2025 an extension of this critical regional programming tool is necessary…the proposed extension…is not a routine administrative exercise. It is a strategic choice—to ensure that regional operations are fit for purpose and a driver of inclusive growth resilience building for social cohesion and lasting political stability in the region where no nation is left behind.”
Barrow noted ongoing macroeconomic pressures affecting West Africa but pointed out that AfDB’s current portfolio exceeds USD 3 billion across areas including infrastructure, agriculture, energy governance projects.
Dr. Habib Yaya Bappah—ECOWAS Commissioner for Internal Services—commended AfDB’s approach toward engagement with ECOWAS emphasizing joint strategy built on complementarity between institutions.
Both parties agreed on accelerating multinational project implementation while ensuring investments benefit citizens directly through improved ownership readiness selectivity measures within their portfolios.
According to information from the official website, ECOWAS works towards advancing cooperation among member states through harmonized policies covering sectors such as trade transport agriculture social development—with programs currently targeting twelve countries but aiming at broader reach across West Africa—and has authority under its treaty framework over economic legal alignment via mechanisms like common external tariffs.
The Commission operates under a president supported by vice president commissioners (source). In addition it launched a multilingual website in 2022 aimed at enhancing accessibility transparency regarding activities (source).
Both institutions concluded by reviewing active projects funded by AfDB—currently numbering over one hundred—and validated operational plans set out through 2027.