Experts from seven West African countries are meeting in Freetown, Sierra Leone, to review the progress of the Praia-Dakar-Abidjan corridor development project. The three-day session, which began on September 9, 2025, focuses on evaluating the final route and economic feasibility of the planned motorway across each member state and examining results from recent feasibility studies. Participants will also discuss financing and management models for a proposed maritime link between Praia and Dakar.
The meeting aims to assess the current road network along the corridor and consider ongoing and future construction projects. Attendees will confirm whether the alignment of the corridor is consistent both within individual states and as a unified regional initiative. Other agenda items include preparing terms of reference for technical, economic, environmental, and social studies; estimating costs for these studies; reviewing financial analyses; and managing calls for tenders related to establishing the maritime connection.
Recommendations from this expert group will be presented at the fourth ministerial steering committee meeting scheduled for September 12, 2025, also in Freetown.
The Praia-Dakar-Abidjan corridor was first envisioned in 2018 when heads of state agreed to develop it as an integrated economic hub intended to drive regional development and integration. To oversee this effort, a steering committee made up of ministers responsible for road infrastructure was established, supported by a committee of experts drawn from public works and transport ministries.
At the opening session, John Azumah, Resident Representative of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission in Sierra Leone, encouraged participants to engage fully in technical discussions. He stated: “He expressed his gratitude to the directors and engineers of the member states of the Praia-Dakar-Abidjan corridor development project for the significant progress they have made in completing the preliminary technical studies.” Azumah also thanked the African Development Bank for funding initial project studies and called on other partners to continue their support.
Paul Bockarie, Director General at Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Public Works and Public Assets and chairman of the committee of experts for this project, echoed these thanks. He highlighted how important this initiative is for Sierra Leone: “For Sierra Leone, the corridor is not just a line on a map, it is a platform for employment, trade, travel safety and regional competitiveness. It connects our people to opportunities, reduces logistics costs for our businesses and links our ports, growth hubs and border communities to regional value chains” said Paul Bockarie.
The motorway project forms part of ECOWAS’ wider plan to promote free movement within its community by improving transport links between capitals and port areas across eight member states—Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Senegal and Sierra Leone. The aim is to boost economic activity by reducing transport costs and encouraging trade through better integration across road, rail and maritime networks.
By connecting cities such as Dakar with Abidjan via Banjul, Bissau, Conakry, Freetown (Frtown), and Monrovia—ECOWAS seeks to establish a major economic axis that supports broader goals for regional prosperity.