Better transport infrastructure for West Africa
The heads of state of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) have decided to speed up the construction of the 1,081 km highway along the coast between Côte d’Ivoire and Lagos (Nigeria). The route crosses through regions that account for 75% of commercial activities in West Africa, with the transport sector representing 5–8% of the region’s gross domestic product.
The new corridor will connect major ports with the key urban areas of Lagos, Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire), Accra (Ghana), Cotonou (Benin) and Lomé (Togo).
It will also link up with corridors on the north-south axis, thus offering better access to maritime port for landlocked countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Chad. The project is supported by the African Development Bank. (ben)