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By: Manaoh Kikekon
Economic Growth, Job Creation, and Seamless Trade Await as Government Seeks Community Cooperation
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| Lagos-Abidjan corridor [ Photo credit: the Guardian] |
The Federal Government has highlighted the immense economic and social benefits of the ECOWAS Abidjan-Lagos corridor highway project, urging residents, traditional leaders, and stakeholders along the Agbara-Badagry route to support its smooth implementation.
At a recent stakeholders’ town hall meeting in Agbara, David Nwedu, Project Director for Communication and Visibility Study of the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway Development Project, emphasized the highway’s strategic importance. He revealed that the corridor supports 75% of ECOWAS’s economic activities, spanning Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire.
Nwedu described the initiative as a game-changer for regional trade, with plans underway to integrate a rail line to enhance connectivity. The project aims to eliminate border restrictions by 2045, ensuring seamless movement of goods and people across West Africa.
Key benefits include: Thousands of jobs during construction, Boosted commerce for local businesses, New industrial hubs along the corridor, and Increased foreign investment and tourism.
Community Engagement Critical for Smooth Implementation
Olukorede Kesha, Federal Controller of Works for Lagos State, stressed the importance of community awareness and cooperation, particularly in adhering to the Right of Way (RoW). She noted that the meeting aimed to educate residents, many of whom were engaging in such discussions for the first time.
Kesha assured stakeholders that community concerns—such as street lighting and bridge expansions—have been factored into the project design, ensuring a balanced approach to development.
With strong stakeholder collaboration, the ECOWAS highway promises to transform West Africa’s economic landscape, fostering trade, employment, and regional integration.