The Lagos–Abidjan Highway is a proposed transnational coastal transport corridor that stretches approximately 1,028 kilometres across five West African countries, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria, aimed at boosting regional trade and economic integration.
The corridor is part of the wider Dakar–Lagos coastal route, which is integrated into the Trans-African Highway Network to enhance connectivity across the continent. It connects some of the largest and most economically dynamic cities in Africa, and covers a large proportion of West Africa’s population.
According to reports, the highway, expected to cost $15.6 billion, is planned as a six-lane dual carriageway, with construction targeted to commence in 2026 and completion projected around 2030.
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Spanning five countries, the highway will cover 144 kilometers in Côte d’Ivoire, 90 kilometers in Togo, 127 kilometers in Benin, 520 kilometers in Ghana, and 82 kilometers in Nigeria.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Development Bank Group recently held a two-day orientation and information session to induct the 10-member Board of Directors of the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Management Authority (ALCoMA).
The programme reviewed findings from technical studies of the planned highway, alongside presentations on trade and transport facilitation, spatial development initiatives, value chains, logistics systems, and anchor economic hub projects. The African Development Bank Group mobilised about €600 million for the project, leveraging additional support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Global Environment Facility, which contributed €103 million and €6.4 million, respectively.
The Bank Group has played a catalytic role in the project’s preparation, providing technical assistance and $25 million in early-stage support as feasibility and structuring activities near completion.
Read also: Lagos-Abidjan corridor to boost trade in West Africa
Facilitating trade, connectivity
Amid push to facilitate trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the Lagos-Abidjan highway is designed to speed up the movement of goods and people, cut logistics costs, and boost industrial growth, with an estimated 70 million people expected to benefit directly from the improved transport corridor.
The corridor is designed to drive regional economic growth by connecting major ports and supporting industrial hubs for agriculture, mining, and manufacturing, and by helping local firms reach larger markets more competitively.
“The highway is more than just a transport link. It is designed to stimulate industrialisation and foster economic hubs across the region,” said Mike Salawou, director of AfDB’s infrastructure and urban development department.
Salawou stated that the project will drive inclusive growth by connecting urban centers, secondary cities, and rural areas in the five countries.
