FG assures ECOWAS, AfDB on Lagos–Abidjan corridor, raises design, funding concerns
The Federal Government has restated its commitment to the 1,028-kilometer Lagos–Abidjan Corridor project, a regional highway expected to strengthen trade links and improve connectivity across West Africa. Minister of Works,
The Federal Government has restated its commitment to the 1,028-kilometer Lagos–Abidjan Corridor project, a regional highway expected to strengthen trade links and improve connectivity across West Africa.
Minister of Works, David Umahi, gave the assurance on Thursday in Abuja during a meeting with delegations from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission and the African Development Bank (AfDB), where technical progress and financing issues were reviewed.
The proposed corridor is designed to link Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire to Lagos via Ghana, Togo, and the Benin Republic, forming a continuous coastal transport route across five countries.
However, discussions at the meeting revealed outstanding concerns around the project’s engineering design and financing structure, with officials indicating that alignment on technical standards and cost-sharing frameworks remains unresolved among participating countries.
Umahi, who conveyed the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the project, describing it as part of a broader infrastructure expansion drive, explained that Nigeria’s approach to the corridor is being aligned with ongoing domestic highway projects, particularly the Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway, which is being developed with reinforced concrete pavement and expanded carriageways for long-term durability.
According to a statement by the Minister's media aide, Francis Nwaze, while providing updates on related national road projects feeding into the regional corridor, Umahi noted that construction works are ongoing in several locations.
“At the end of the corridor, which will connect with the Lagos–Abidjan route at Badagry, we have the Badagry section, one hundred and sixty-two kilometers, already awarded and ongoing.
“We are also going to the Federal Executive Council for the Uyo section, one hundred and eighty kilometers, for an award this week,” he said.
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He added that the Lagos–Abidjan initiative is part of a wider national network, including the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, saying, “This project will drive trade across West Africa and the African coast.
"Section one, 47.47 kilometers in Lagos, is completed and will be commissioned in May. Section two, 55 kilometers, will reach the Ogun boundary and is expected to be completed by December.”
Despite progress, Umahi said significant technical disagreements persist on the Lagos–Abidjan corridor, particularly on design specifications and the distribution of corridor length among member states.
“On the engineering side, I will be direct. There are unresolved issues on the Lagos–Abidjan corridor. The distribution of corridor length across countries is unequal and can only be resolved at the level of heads of state,” he said.
He disclosed that Nigeria’s segment of the corridor is about 79.5 kilometres, but would be executed to a higher specification than originally proposed.
“I am executing mine with reinforced concrete and three lanes, not the two-lane ECOWAS design. I have also rejected aspects of the ECOWAS design due to lack of consultation and impractical elements,” he said.
According to him, Nigeria is developing a revised design framework tailored to local conditions and physical realities along the route.
“We are developing our own design. It will account for existing infrastructure, obstacles along the corridor, and practical implementation realities,” Umahi said, adding that the document is expected to be completed within two weeks.
He further stressed that agreement on financing arrangements must precede procurement and implementation stages.
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“Once the design is finalized and approved by member states, the funding model must be agreed upon by heads of state. Until that is resolved, moving into procurement and financing is premature. That is my position,” he said.
Despite the outstanding issues, he reaffirmed Nigeria’s support for the project, stressing, “We remain committed to this project because it will connect Nigeria’s infrastructure to neighboring countries and deliver mutual benefits".
Earlier, ECOWAS Director of Transport, Chris Appiah, said the visit formed part of ongoing consultations with member states on technical progress and outstanding issues.
“We have had several engagements with your project focal team and your technical consultants on the Nigeria section of the highway. We have gone through the designs, taken comments, and provided responses,” he said.
He added that similar engagements had been held with Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Togo, and that discussions in Benin were expected to follow.
“We are here today to report to you as the Chair of the Steering Committee and to take up any final issues on the technical side,” he said.
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On financing, the African Development Bank delegation, led by Salawou Mike Moukaila, said the project remains a priority for the institution.
“As you tasked the bank to mobilize financing for the corridor, we have taken this very seriously. Our senior management, including the president of the bank, has made this project a priority because it will enhance regional integration,” he said.
He noted that the bank is currently undertaking an identification mission across multiple countries to structure financing and commence the first phase of implementation.
“There is strong interest from co-financiers within and outside Africa. They want to see the bank take the lead in financing and mobilizing its instruments,” he said.
Moukaila added that Nigeria’s participation is central to the corridor's success, given its position in regional trade flows.
“The Nigerian section is strategically important because a significant portion of trade originates from Nigeria along this corridor,” he said.
He described the Lagos–Abidjan Corridor as a “game changer,” adding that it has the potential to significantly improve regional connectivity across West, Central, and East Africa.
