Abidjan-Lagos
AfDB and ECOWAS have agreed to perform a study on Abidjan-Lagos Corridor highway. Credit: Animeshcmc.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has signed an agreement with the Economic Community of West African States Commission (ECOWAS) to undertake a study on the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor highway.

The planned study into a 1,000km-long highway is said to be one step in building regional integration and trade.

AfDB has approved $12.6m to fund a portion of the study for the highway project, which also secured a €9.1m ($10.3m) grant from the EU Commission.

The highway is expected to cost around $2bn. It will connect Cote d’Ivoire’s commercial capital Abidjan to Lagos in Nigeria.

The six-lane (three-lane dual) motorway will pass through Ghana (Accra), Togo (Lomé) and Benin (Cotonou).

“Together, we can unlock the enormous potentials of the West African region and deliver on the sustainable development goals for the region.”

AfDB Nigeria office senior director Ebrima Faal said: “The bank remains fully committed to the 2020 ECOWAS Vision.

“We will work closely with the public and private sectors to unlock new sources of growth for Africa, while reducing inequality between countries and within countries.

“Together, we can unlock the enormous potentials of the West African region and deliver on the sustainable development goals for the region.”

ECOWAS Commission president Jean Claude Brou urged the World Bank and Japan International Cooperation Agency to help contribute towards the highway project.

The proposed road is intended to support cross-border trade and integrate fast-growing economies within the ECOWAS. In addition, it is hoped the road will help decrease poverty levels of the population that depends on inter-regional trade for livelihoods, said AfDB.