ECOWAS Approves $50m For Lagos-Abidjan Road’s Feasibility Studies

The Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have approved the sum of $50 million as contributory fund for the feasibility studies and design of the six lanes Lagos-Abidjan highway project.

The decision was taken during a meeting of ECOWAS Ministers of Works and Infrastructure chaired by President Goodluck Jonathan on the sidelines of the ongoing 22nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The Chairman of the Ministerial Project Steering Committee and Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, said the $50 million to be contributed by the ECOWAS states was to ensure that work on the road project start in earnest by the first quarter of this year.

He said that additional sum $16 million is expected from African Development Bank since the fund for the design and feasibility studies would be in excess of $50 million contributory fund from ECOWAS States.

The Lagos- Abidjan road when completed would transverse Ghana, Benin Republic and Togo.

He said: “The feasibility studies are going so far in excess of $50 million dollars. So the AfDB offered that they have this money, that is the remaining 16 million US dollars to contribute towards raising the total money for the design”

“Now for the full design to be paid for, we actually look forward to getting additional funds from development partners and multinational agencies. But to show commitment from member-states, that is why we are requesting for the seed money of $50 million.”

He told Journalists after the meeting that that the project when completed would achieve proper regional integration in West Africa and also open up the sub- region for commerce