ECOWAS Commission seeks for $12bn to construct 1000km Abidjan -Lagos Corridor Highway 

Stanley Ihedigbo

ECOWAS Commission has disclosed that they will embark on several investors roundtable and road shows to secure $12bn capital investment to construct over 1000km Abidjan -Lagos Corridor Highway.

According to the Ag. Director, Directorate of Transport Development, ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Chris Appiah, they arrived at the budget at the closing of the meeting of road engineers of the corridor Member States on the finalisation of the detailed engineering design study of the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway Project.

He said that the realization of the revolutionary vision of constructing a homogeneous 6-lane dual carriage highway from Abidjan to Lagos with economic and social development components, achieved
a major milestone with the end of a 4-day technical workshop of road engineers from Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria and Togo, to finalize the Detailed Technical Design Study of the
Abidjan-Lagos corridor Project, which ended on Saturday 14th September 2024, with the full review of the technical designs and drawings.

‘The objective of this working session was to present the final versions of the technical design studies for the Abidjan-Lagos corridor highway for review by project directors and engineers
from the countries concerned. The report of the validation workshop and approvals will be part of the items to be presented at the upcoming 21st meeting of the Ministerial Steering Committee scheduled to take place from 16-21 September 2024 in Lagos, Nigeria.

“During the 4 days, presentations were made to the national experts of the Abidjan-Lagos corridor member countries covering all technical aspects, including, detailed technical design study & matrix of responses to ECOWAS member state comments (topographic, geotechnical, hydrological, geometric, road safety audit safety audit, etc);  environmental and social impact studies, ( climate change, environmental and impact assessment, environmental and social management program, right of way delineation, relocation of existing utility networks and connection to facilities, resettlement action plan, etc); and  smart corridor and operations (toll system, architecture and operation of toll stations, service and rest areas, operating buildings, energy supply, public lighting, multi-modality, maintenance mechanism),” he explained.

He further said that the experts also considered the climate hazards identification and scoping preliminary report from consultants from the Global Center for Adaptation who is supporting ECOWAS and the
corridor countries with a climate change study on the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor.

“This is being done in collaboration with the African Development Bank and will enhance the chances of attracting
Green financing to support the construction of the Highway.

“Following the presentations, discussions and comments on the respective design reports, the experts issued recommendations to guide the speedy completion of the detailed design study
reports. This stage is the third phase of feasibility studies, environmental and social assessment, preliminary design, detailed design and draft tender documents for the construction of the Abidjan-Lagos corridor.

“The fourth and final phase “financial and implementation” strategy is also ongoing and will be completed and submitted together with the detailed designs. The ECOWAS Commission and Corridor Member States will receive the final design reports, financial
and implementation strategy, tender documents and all related documents by mid-December 2024”, he added.

Appiah noted that the development of the corridor was  in line with ECOWAS’ 2050 Vision and the respective strategies of the five Member States concerned with the aim of to promoting an efficient, safe and competitive infrastructure for trade and sustainable development.

“ECOWAS Commission is the implementing agency, coordinating the design, procurement, construction and operation of the six-lane supranational highway that will connect Abidjan
(Côte d’Ivoire) and Lagos (Nigeria) through Ghana, Togo and Benin. The Highway will be under a single management on behalf of the by the soon to be operational Abidjan-Lagos Corridor
Management Authority,” he stated.