Lagos Hosts Push For Deeper West African Economic Integration
By Sherif Salau
Lagos was at the centre of fresh efforts to deepen economic integration in West Africa as Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio met with Nigerian business leaders and policymakers to advance preparations for the West Africa Integration and Investment Summit (WAIIS).
Bio visited Lagos for the second meeting of the Private Sector Advisory Board set up ahead of the summit, scheduled to hold in Freetown, Sierra Leone, in November. He was received at the airport by Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The meetings focused on strengthening regional cooperation and unlocking investment opportunities across key sectors, including energy, industrial development, strategic minerals, agribusiness and digital transformation.
The summit is expected to bring together government officials, private investors, development partners and project sponsors to explore practical opportunities for investment and cross-border economic cooperation.
A major part of the engagement took place at the Lagos residence of Heirs Holdings Chairman, Tony Elumelu, who hosted President Bio and his wife, First Lady Fatima Maada Bio.
Elumelu has been a strong advocate of private-sector participation in Africa’s economic development and had earlier pledged his support for WAIIS. In June, he also committed to mobilising prominent African business leaders to support the initiative and strengthen its private-sector dimension.
The Lagos meetings therefore provided an opportunity to build on those commitments and explore how private capital could be deployed to support regional projects and create stronger economic linkages among West African countries.
Sanwo-Olu reaffirmed the state’s interest in partnerships capable of strengthening economic ties between Nigeria and other West African countries.
Despite the region’s significant economic potential, intra-regional trade continues to face challenges, including inadequate infrastructure, regulatory barriers and limited coordination among private-sector players.
The organisers of WAIIS are seeking to use the summit to address some of these challenges by connecting investors with viable projects in shaping regional economic priorities.
