The federal government has reaffirmed its commitment to the realisation of the 1,028 km Lagos–Abidjan Corridor, a major regional highway expected to transform trade and connectivity across West Africa.
The project connects Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Lagos in Nigeria.
The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, gave the assurance during a high-level meeting in his Abuja office with delegations from the ECOWAS Commission and the African Development Bank (AfDB).
The team visited Nigeria in his capacity as chairman of the steering committee for the project and the country’s representative at the ministerial level to brief him on progress and resolve outstanding technical and financing issues.
Speaking at the meeting, Umahi conveyed the backing of President Bola Tinubu for the project, stressing that infrastructure development remains central to the President’s agenda.
“I bring greetings from His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu, who is fully committed to infrastructural development in Nigeria,” the minister said.
He explained that the Lagos–Abidjan corridor, spanning about 1,028 kilometres, is being developed to match the scale and ambition of Nigeria’s ongoing Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway. According to him, the project will feature reinforced concrete pavement, three lanes on each carriageway, and modern road design standards aimed at long-term durability.
Umahi used the opportunity to highlight the scale of ongoing road investments across Nigeria, linking them directly to the regional corridor vision. He noted that major sections of the Sokoto–Badagry route are already under construction, with significant financial commitments.
“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 kilometres, already awarded and ongoing,” he said. “We are also going to the Federal Executive Council for the Uyo section, one hundred and eighty kilometres, for award this week.”
He emphasised that the Lagos–Abidjan project is not isolated but part of a broader network of interconnected highways, including the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway and several legacy routes cutting across all six geopolitical zones.
“This project will drive trade across West Africa and the African coast,” Umahi stated, adding that the coastal highway alone covers 750 kilometres, with multiple sections already completed, ongoing, or nearing commissioning.
Umahi also pointed to ongoing work on critical national highways such as the Abuja–Kano road, parts of which are expected to be completed within the year, alongside projects like Sokoto–Zamfara–Kaduna–Katsina, Enugu–Onitsha, and the East–West Road.
According to him, the Tinubu administration is deliberately prioritising durability by adopting reinforced concrete technology for many of the roads.
“President Bola Tinubu is delivering durable infrastructure designed to last over one hundred years,” he said. “His approach to economic reform, including subsidy removal and currency adjustments is long-term national planning, even if not fully understood by the public.”
On the Lagos–Abidjan corridor itself, the minister explained that there are unresolved issues. He raised concerns about the design and the unequal distribution of the corridor length among participating countries.
“On the engineering side, I will be direct. There are unresolved issues on the Lagos–Abidjan corridor,” Umahi stated. “The distribution of corridor length across countries is unequal and can only be resolved at the level of heads of state.”
He disclosed that Nigeria’s section of the corridor is approximately 79.5 kilometres but will be executed to a higher standard 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.
Umahi added that Nigeria is currently developing its own design framework, expected to be completed within two weeks, taking into account existing infrastructure and real-world conditions along the route.
“We are developing our own design… It will account for existing infrastructure, obstacles along the corridor, and practical implementation realities,” he explained.
He stressed that decisions on funding models must be taken at the highest political level before the project can proceed to procurement and full financing.
“Once the design is finalised and approved by member states, the funding model must be agreed by heads of state… Until that is resolved, moving into procurement and financing is premature. That is my position,” he said.
Despite these challenges, the minister reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the project.
“We remain committed to this project because it will connect Nigeria’s infrastructure to neighbouring countries and deliver mutual benefits,” he said, announcing plans to host ECOWAS and technical teams for further engagement.
Earlier, the ECOWAS Director of Transport, Chris Appiah, explained that the mission was part of ongoing consultations with member states.
“Honourable Minister… we have had several engagements with your project focal team and your technical consultants on the Nigeria section of the highway,” he said. “We have gone through the designs, taken comments, and provided responses.”
He noted that similar consultations had been held with Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Togo, while engagement with Benin is scheduled to follow its recent elections.
“We are here today to report to you as the Chair of the Steering Committee… and to take any final issues on the technical side,” Appiah added.
On financing, the African Development Bank delegation, led by Salawou Mike Moukaila, described the project as a top priority for the bank.
“As you tasked the bank to mobilise financing for the corridor, we have taken this very seriously,” Moukaila said. “Our senior management, including the president of the bank, has made this project a priority because it will enhance regional integration.”
He explained that the bank is currently undertaking an “identification mission” across 25 countries to design a financing framework and kick-start an initial phase of the project.
“There is strong interest from co-financiers within and outside Africa,” he noted. “They want to see the bank take the lead in financing and mobilising its instruments.”
Moukaila added that the initiative aligns with the strategic priorities of the bank’s leadership, particularly in promoting infrastructure, trade, and regional integration.
He also emphasised Nigeria’s central role in the success of the corridor.
“The Nigerian section is strategically important because a significant portion of trade originates from Nigeria along this corridor,” he said.
In closing, the AfDB delegation commended the Nigerian government for its infrastructure drive.
“On behalf of the bank, we commend President Bola Tinubu and the Minister for championing infrastructure development in Nigeria, which is critical for regional connectivity across West, Central, and East Africa,” Moukaila said.
He described the Lagos–Abidjan Corridor as “a game changer” and invited the minister to share Nigeria’s experience at the upcoming Africa Transport Forum in Abidjan.
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