Nigeria, Four Nations Launch $16bn Abidjan-Lagos Highway Authority
Nigeria has joined Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo and the Republic of Benin to officially establish the Abidjan–Lagos Corridor Management Authority (ALCoMA).
It is a regional body that will oversee the implementation, operation and long-term management of the proposed $16 billion Abidjan–Lagos Highway.
The launch marks a major milestone in the drive to deepen regional integration and improve transport infrastructure across West Africa, as the five participating countries accelerate work on one of Africa’s most ambitious cross-border road projects.
The new authority will coordinate the planning, construction, financing and future operation of the 1,028-kilometre, six-lane expressway, which will connect major commercial hubs from Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire to Lagos in Nigeria. The highway is expected to become operational by 2030, significantly reducing travel time and easing the movement of goods and people across the sub-region.
The Abidjan–Lagos Highway forms a key component of the ECOWAS regional transport network and is expected to transform trade along one of Africa’s busiest economic corridors, which accounts for more than 75 per cent of the region’s commercial activities and serves an estimated population of over 40 million people.
Officials said the project is designed to eliminate transport bottlenecks, lower logistics costs, improve cross-border connectivity and stimulate investment across the five participating countries. It is also expected to strengthen regional value chains while supporting the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
According to project projections, the corridor could generate approximately $16 billion in additional trade value for member states while producing an estimated $1.3 billion in annual toll revenues after completion.
Beyond the highway, the participating governments are also considering the development of a parallel high-speed rail system along the corridor to further improve passenger and freight transportation and support the region’s growing economic activities.
The Abidjan–Lagos Corridor is regarded as one of West Africa’s most strategic transport links, connecting key ports, industrial centres and capital cities. Development partners, including the African Development Bank (AfDB), the ECOWAS Commission and other international financial institutions, have continued to support the project, which is expected to unlock new opportunities for trade, tourism, manufacturing and job creation across the region.
With the establishment of the Corridor Management Authority, the five countries have taken a significant step toward ensuring effective governance, coordinated implementation and the successful delivery of a project widely viewed as a catalyst for economic transformation in West Africa.
