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The European Union Commission has announced plans to invest €150 billion in trade and transport infrastructure across West Africa, with a particular emphasis on the Lagos-Abidjan corridor. This initiative is part of the EU’s Global Gateway Initiative, which aims to streamline transportation and trade by addressing key logistical challenges.
Celine Lhoste, the Team Lead of the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, revealed this during a tripartite meeting with the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, the EU delegation, and ECOWAS in Lagos. She highlighted the importance of Lagos ports in enhancing trade efficiency along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor and expressed the EU’s commitment to supporting efforts to decongest these ports and develop inland dry ports.
“There is an investment package of €150 billion for Africa, and West Africa is a crucial region where we are already making significant investments along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor,” Lhoste stated.
Lhoste also emphasized the EU’s interest in facilitating coastal shipping between the ports of Cotonou and Lagos to enhance trade between Nigeria and Benin. The investment package aims to use various funding sources, including private sector contributions and grants, to reduce the cost of investments.
The EU is also in discussions with the Port of Antwerp to explore using barges to ease congestion and improve connectivity between seaports and hinterlands in Nigeria. Jesus Gavilan, the Transport Officer at the Directorate General International Partnership of the EU Commission, outlined the challenges along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor, including the numerous checkpoints that hinder smooth transport between Benin and Nigeria.
“When you move from the Benin Border to Lagos, you can be stopped at least 20 times with 80 checkpoints. This is a significant barrier to transport between the two countries,” Gavilan explained. He noted that the EU is working on establishing a one-stop border post between Benin and Nigeria to streamline the passage of goods.
Gavilan mentioned that the project, in partnership with the French Development Agency and the European Investment Bank, is nearing its official launch. He also highlighted the importance of inland dry ports in decongesting seaports and improving export efficiency.
The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Pius Akutah, reiterated the council’s commitment to port efficiency and trade facilitation. Represented by Executive Director of Human Resources, Ms. Ada Okam, Akutah emphasized the council’s role in setting tariffs and handling charges to reduce cargo abandonment and expedite ship turnaround times. He called for EU investment in developing key transport infrastructures.
Mustapha Zubairu, the Director of Special Duties at the NSC, stressed the need for a railway at the Lekki port to alleviate congestion caused by surrounding industrial activities. He also called for uniform regulations within the regional corridor to facilitate seamless cargo movement and suggested collaboration with multilateral funding institutions like the ECOWAS Bank for Development and the African Development Bank to improve security and infrastructure.
The EU’s substantial investment aims to eliminate extortion checkpoints, enhance transport efficiency, and boost intra-African trade, aligning with broader efforts to foster economic growth and development in the region.
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