The USD 15.6 billion Abidjan–Lagos Corridor Highway is set to reshape West Africa’s economic landscape by linking five key coastal nations—Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria—through a 1,028 km toll-free highway. Slated for construction in 2026, the corridor will serve over 173 million people by 2050, unlocking USD 16 billion in economic gains and 70,000 jobs. Backed by ECOWAS and institutions like the African Development Bank and European Investment Bank, the project integrates a Spatial Development Initiative targeting private sector investment in renewable energy, manufacturing, and agriculture.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway aims to strengthen internal and regional connectivity across its southern coastline. This multi-billion-dollar infrastructure will connect economic and port cities including Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Calabar, serving as a backbone for Nigeria’s blue economy, gas-based industrialization, and export zones. Together with key projects like the Lekki Deep Sea Port and the Eastern Industrial Corridor, it positions Nigeria as a key logistics and manufacturing hub in the Gulf of Guinea.
Viewed together, these two highways form the foundation of a pan-coastal trade and industrial corridor stretching across the Gulf of Guinea. Their alignment presents a rare opportunity for regional integration under AfCFTA, facilitating cross-border trade, energy cooperation, and industrial clustering. With coordinated policy, investment, and security frameworks, the Abidjan–Lagos and Lagos–Calabar corridors could transform the Gulf into a unified zone of shared growth, resilience, and prosperity.
