Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Senator David Nweze Umahi, has assumed a central role in advancing the Abidjan- Lagos Corridor Highway Development Project, as he chairs the 23rd Ministerial Steering Committee Meeting in Lomé.
The high-level meeting brings together ministers, technical experts, development partners and representatives of participating West African countries to review progress on the ambitious regional highway project.
The corridor, which is designed to link major economies along the West African coast, is expected to improve the movement of people, goods and services, boost cross-border trade and deepen regional economic integration.
As chairman of the steering committee, Umahi is leading deliberations on critical issues affecting the project’s delivery, including the progress of technical studies, the acquisition of right-of-way and the mobilisation of investment financing.
The African Development Bank, serving as the project’s Mandatory Lead Arranger, is expected to brief the committee on efforts to secure funding for the multi-country infrastructure project.
The meeting will also consider the recommendations of the 23rd Technical Meeting of the Committee of Experts, held on October 26 and 27. The technical session reviewed progress across the project’s components and examined strategies for resolving outstanding challenges.
Among the issues discussed were the operationalisation of the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Management Authority, known as ALCoMA, as well as complementary projects being supported by development partners to promote the integrated development of the corridor.
The ALCoMA Board of Directors is also scheduled to present reports from its first and second meetings. The steering committee is expected to consider and approve resolutions aimed at strengthening coordination and sustaining implementation.
The project is regarded as one of West Africa’s most significant infrastructure initiatives. Once completed, the highway is expected to create a more efficient transport network linking countries along the Abidjan-Lagos route and unlock new opportunities for trade, investment and economic growth.
Umahi’s leadership of the meeting aligns with the Tinubu administration’s emphasis on infrastructure as a catalyst for national and regional development.