West African ministers endorse first Abidjan–Lagos road sections

Wednesday 4th November 2026

By inAfrika Newsroom

West African road ministers have endorsed an initial set of sections of the proposed Abidjan–Lagos highway for the construction stage, while financing and land acquisition remain unresolved priorities.

The decision was taken at a steering-committee meeting in Lomé on 30 October, according to an ECOWAS statement published on 3 November. The statement does not identify the selected sections or announce that construction has begun.

The African Development Bank is seeking about $500 million to start the first sections, ECOWAS said. It is pursuing resources from the African Development Fund’s ADF-17 regional allocation and other instruments, including climate funding.

The bank has already provided more than $25 million for feasibility work, design studies and technical assistance. Ministers urged the five participating countries to raise resources for the land needed by the road and their debt and equity contributions.

The planned six-lane highway would extend 1,028 kilometres through Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria. Ministers asked that construction phases remain connected and that ports and capitals bypassed by the main route retain access.

They also endorsed staffing the Abidjan–Lagos Corridor Management Authority, including recruitment of its chief executive and key directors. ECOWAS said the AfDB had supplied start-up operating funds for the authority.

A separate ECOWAS account published in May described earlier financing discussions with the five governments, following completion of technical and economic studies.

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