Nigeria and Four Other Countries Launch Corridor Authority for $16 bn Abidjan–Lagos Highway

By Efe Onodjae

Nigeria, together with Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, and Benin Republic, has officially inaugurated the Abidjan–Lagos Corridor Management Authority. This regional entity will oversee the development and future operation of a $16 billion coastal highway that will link key economic centres across West Africa.

The authority will manage the planned 1,028‑kilometre, six‑lane expressway, which is expected to become one of the region’s most important transport corridors when it opens in 2030.

Officials say the project aims to enhance cross‑border transport efficiency, lower logistics costs, and strengthen regional trade integration along the busy coastal economic axis.

Projections indicate the corridor could boost commercial activity, generating roughly $16 billion in combined trade value among the participating countries and about $1.3 billion in toll revenues.

In addition to the highway, the governments involved are also considering the future construction of a parallel high‑speed rail line to further improve passenger and freight movement along the same corridor.

This initiative is part of wider regional efforts to deepen economic integration and improve infrastructure connectivity across West Africa, especially along the densely populated and economically active coastal belt that stretches from Abidjan to Lagos.