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By Lizzy Chirkpi
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has unveiled an ambitious 25-year infrastructure master plan, valued at an estimated $131 billion, designed to spur investment, enhance trade, and improve interconnectivity across the sub-region.
The plan encompasses regional projects in critical sectors including transport, energy, telecommunications, and water resources.
The initiative is built on previous infrastructure development efforts within the bloc, such as the Lagos-Abidjan Corridor Highway and the Praia-Dakar-Abuja Corridor – which links Banjul, Bissau, Freetown, and Monrovia – both launched in earlier years.
The announcement was made Wednesday, 23 April 2025 in Accra, the capital of Ghana at the launch event marking the 50th Anniversary celebration of ECOWAS.
The gathering had in attendance prominent figures including President John Mahama, former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and the President of Nigeria and current Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, Bola Ahmed Tinubu who was represented.
Also present were leaders of Parliament, members of the diplomatic corps, traditional leaders, representatives from civil society organizations, development partners, and students, among others.
The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray highlighted the progress of the Lagos–Abidjan Corridor project, which traverses Ghana, noting that it has already secured $42m for feasibility and preparatory studies.
He projected a total investment of nearly $15bn with an average economic return of 15 per cent, stating that “the project was now ready for investor engagement.”
Dr. Touray also emphasized the broader achievements of the regional bloc, saying “apart from those projects, the regional bloc had also made some gains in peace, security and democracy, among others, hence the need for ECOWAS to celebrate its golden jubilee.”
In the crucial energy sector, Dr. Touray announced that “ECOWAS is in partnership with international agencies to implement several regional electrification projects and interconnection initiatives in the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Mali through the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Access Project (ECOWREAP).”
He further reported that “14 continental ECOWAS member states were now electrically interconnected, setting the stage for cross-border electricity trade.”
The West African Power Pool’s Information and Coordination Centre, he added, “will enable electricity trade among member states.”
Dr. Touray also commended “the establishment of the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERERA), headquartered in Ghana, which oversees and facilitates fair and efficient electricity exchanges across borders,” noting that “these efforts are complemented by the Regional Off-Grid Electricity Access Project, spearheaded by the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE), with an estimated cost of $340 million.”
Beyond infrastructure and energy, Dr. Touray lauded “ECOWAS leadership in their health responses to Ebola, COVID-19 and Mpox through the West African Health Organisation (WAHO).”
He also recalled that “ECOWAS peacekeepers and mediation efforts brought peace to Liberia and Sierra Leone, including ensuring the will of the Gambian people prevailed in 2016,” and that “our efforts in fighting organised crime and piracy, including maritime security partnerships, have contributed to a significant drop in piracy incidents, with zero recorded in 2024.”
President Tinubu, in his address, reaffirmed Nigeria’s strong commitment to democratic principles, the rule of law, good governance, and regional cooperation.
“We must place our young, dynamic, creative, and resilient people at the centre of our agenda. We must invest in education, innovation and skills development to unleash the full potential of Africa’s future,” President Tinubu asserted.
“In deepening our integration, we must accelerate the realisation of a single currency and strengthen infrastructure corridors to connect markets and minds within the region,” he added.
President Tinubu concluded by stressing “the need to implement bold, comprehensive reforms to enhance institutions’ effectiveness, relevance and credibility to meet the challenges of today and the future.”