The 22nd meeting of the Committee of Experts for the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway Development Project concluded on December 18, 2025, in Lomé, Togo. The session ended with a set of recommendations intended to move forward with the implementation phase of the highway project.
Project directors and engineers from the corridor’s member states agreed that recent reports on feasibility, design, and financing options provide a solid foundation for advancing to the next stage. They stated that feedback from national ministries during bilateral presentations will inform detailed structuring, packaging, project formulation, tendering, and implementation.
Participants also noted that proposed financing options are indicative and will be refined through consultation with relevant authorities. Recommendations were directed at development partners, member states along the corridor, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission.
The ECOWAS Commission was asked to expedite project structuring and finalize financial models for construction. It is also expected to speed up establishing the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Management Authority (ALCoMA) and complete recruitment processes to ensure full staffing for this entity. ALCoMA will oversee building, managing, and operating the highway on behalf of member states.
Attendees acknowledged progress on revising an intergovernmental agreement which will be submitted for signature by the Ministerial Steering Committee. The ECOWAS Commission was invited to work with Côte d’Ivoire on finalizing arrangements for ALCoMA’s headquarters.
Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria—the five countries along the corridor—were called upon to coordinate with ECOWAS in implementing recommendations related to trade facilitation and spatial development initiatives supporting highway construction. These countries were also urged to protect land reserved for the project and begin land acquisition procedures. Côte d’Ivoire was specifically requested to complete allocation of a building designated as ALCoMA’s headquarters.
Development partners such as the African Development Bank (AfDB), European Union (EU), and World Bank were encouraged to collaborate directly with ECOWAS rather than engaging individually with each state when designing implementation strategies.
At the close of proceedings, Engineer Ebere Izunobi—Chair of the Committee of Experts and Acting Director of Road Planning at Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Works—said: “He assured them that the various recommendations arising from the meeting will be submitted for the consideration of the Ministerial Steering Committee of the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway Development Project.”
The Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway is planned as a major infrastructure link across West Africa. Stretching over 1,028 kilometers and connecting Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria, it carries about 75 percent of regional commercial activity. Its estimated cost is approximately USD 14.7 billion; funding is expected through a public-private partnership model.
According to information from the official website, ECOWAS works toward advancing cooperation among its members by harmonizing policies in areas like trade and transport in order to boost living standards across West Africa. The organization operates as a regional intergovernmental body focused on political and economic integration throughout West Africa since its founding in 1975 following adoption of its treaty by regional leaders.
The completion of this highway forms part of ECOWAS’s broader strategy aimed at facilitating free movement within its community by reducing transport costs while strengthening trade cooperation among member states.