Nigeria has teamed up with the ECOWAS Parliament to accelerate progress on the ambitious Abidjan–Lagos highway project, a critical infrastructure initiative aimed at boosting trade, creating employment, and enhancing connectivity across West Africa.
The Abidjan–Lagos Corridor represents the initial phase of the Dakar–Lagos Trans–West African Coastal Corridor (Trans-African Highway No. 7). This route is intended to connect West Africa with Central and Eastern Africa, stretching from Dakar through Lagos, Yaoundé, Bangui, and Kampala to Mombasa.
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The Dakar–Abidjan–Lagos Corridor is a flagship project within the ECOWAS region’s segment of the Trans-African Highway. Its development forms part of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA).
The 1,028-kilometre transnational coastal highway is slated to begin construction in 2026. Once completed, the corridor is projected to benefit millions of people living along the route and serve a population expected to exceed 170 million by 2050.
This renewed commitment came to light yesterday when the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Memounatou Ibrahima, visited Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, in Abuja.
The high-level meeting focused on fostering Nigeria’s support for the regional infrastructure project and other ECOWAS-led development initiatives.
Addressing the press after the meeting, Ibrahima, who was accompanied by Fourth Deputy Speaker Billay Tunkara and ECOWAS Secretary General Bertin Some, emphasised that deeper cooperation with Nigeria would help drive regional development and ensure citizens of ECOWAS member states enjoy tangible benefits from such initiatives.
The Abidjan–Lagos Corridor project is expected to serve as a vital economic artery for West Africa, unlocking new industrial and commercial opportunities while easing the movement of goods and people.
With a target completion date of 2030, the highway is poised to enhance cross-border trade, link urban and rural areas more efficiently, and improve the overall competitiveness of the sub-region’s economies.
Tuggar described the ECOWAS Parliament as a vital institution that reflects the democratic aspirations of West Africans.
He said the Parliament’s engagement on the highway project highlights its importance in shaping the region’s economic future.
“The ECOWAS Parliament embodies the will of the citizens in member countries. Its active involvement in governance and development affirms our region’s democratic maturity. With West Africa witnessing rapid demographic growth, strategic planning through projects like this highway is essential,” Tuggar noted.
The two parties also explored avenues to enhance education, technology, youth empowerment, and innovation through targeted policies.
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They discussed the implementation of the recently launched Regional Partnership for Democracy, a joint initiative with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), aimed at strengthening democratic governance across ECOWAS states.
Tuggar praised the ECOWAS Parliament for playing a pivotal role in advancing regional integration and legislative oversight within the community.
