ECOWAS Charts New Path for Infrastructure-Led Growth in West Africa with PPDU.
By Raymond Enoch
In a decisive move to reshape the infrastructure landscape of West Africa, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, His Excellency Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, chaired a high-level meeting with the Steering Committee of the ECOWAS Project Preparation and Development Unit (PPDU). The meeting, held under the leadership of Hon. Commissioner Sediko Douka, focused on innovative financing and strategic implementation of infrastructure projects across the region.
The gathering, facilitated by Commissioner Douka—who oversees Infrastructure, Energy, and Digitalization—marks a key step in the Commission’s ongoing effort to deepen its infrastructure strategy through close collaboration with the PPDU.
A central outcome of the discussions was a proposal to establish a Regional Infrastructure Fund, potentially financed by revenues from West Africa’s abundant extractive resources. The envisioned fund would provide sustainable financing for transformative projects in priority sectors such as transport, energy, and health—areas critical to regional integration and economic resilience.
Welcoming the initiative, President Touray emphasized the need for inclusivity and ownership among ECOWAS Member States. “Financial equity, national ownership, and institutional alignment must guide this process,” he stated, noting that regional prosperity must be rooted in shared responsibility and cooperation.
As the global donor environment continues to shift, President Touray highlighted the urgency of building resilient, self-sustaining infrastructure—particularly in the energy and public health sectors. He tied the Commission’s infrastructure push to ECOWAS Vision 2050, which identifies infrastructure-led growth as a cornerstone of economic integration and sustainable development.
The meeting also addressed the harmonization of cross-border regulatory frameworks and a review of the Regional Infrastructure Master Plan, with an emphasis on modernization, private sector engagement, and long-term viability.
The PPDU, mandated with identifying and preparing infrastructure projects for investment, reaffirmed its commitment to results-driven collaboration, technical rigor, and strategic planning to support the region’s development goals.
This high-level engagement signals a significant shift in ECOWAS’ approach—toward self-reliant, strategically financed infrastructure development that can withstand external shocks and drive long-term growth and unity across West Africa.
