By Joy Onu
The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has led regional efforts to advance the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway Development Project, as ministers and development partners met in Lomé, Togo, to review progress and address outstanding technical, financing and institutional issues affecting the multinational infrastructure initiative.
Umahi chaired the 23rd Ministerial Steering Committee Meeting of the project on Friday, October 30, 2026, bringing together representatives of participating West African countries to assess developments and consider measures to accelerate its implementation.
The highway is designed to strengthen transport links among countries along the Abidjan-Lagos corridor, facilitate the movement of people and goods, expand regional trade and deepen economic integration.
According to a statement by Francis Nwaze, Senior Special Assistant to the Minister of Works on Media, the ministerial meeting followed a two-day technical session involving project directors and engineers on October 26 and 27.
At the 23rd Technical Meeting of the Committee of Experts, participants reviewed progress across the project’s components and examined the technical studies required for its successful delivery.
Their deliberations covered the project’s right-of-way, a critical requirement for construction, as well as efforts to operationalise the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Management Authority (ALCoMA), which is expected to support the management of the regional corridor.
The experts also assessed investment financing mobilisation by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the project’s Mandatory Lead Arranger, alongside complementary projects and activities being undertaken by other development partners.
The Ministerial Steering Committee was expected to consider and adopt the technical team’s report and recommendations, deliberate on outstanding issues and agree on further steps to advance the project.
The AfDB was also scheduled to brief the ministers on the status of investment financing mobilisation, allowing the participating governments to assess progress and identify actions required to move the funding process forward.
In addition, the ALCoMA Board of Directors was expected to present reports and recommendations from its first and second board meetings for consideration by the steering committee.
The ministers were to deliberate on the submissions and approve relevant resolutions where necessary to strengthen institutional arrangements and improve project delivery.
The multinational highway initiative requires sustained cooperation among participating governments, particularly in addressing land acquisition, technical requirements, financing and the institutional arrangements necessary for construction and long-term management.
Beyond improving transportation, the project is expected to facilitate cross-border commerce, ease the movement of goods and services and create stronger economic links among participating West African countries.
Its development also aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s infrastructure agenda, under which the Federal Ministry of Works has identified road connectivity as a strategic instrument for expanding economic opportunities and strengthening regional trade.
Umahi’s chairmanship of the ministerial steering committee places Nigeria in a leading position in the regional consultations aimed at advancing the project.
