The European Union Commission announced that plans to invest €150 billion on West African commerce and transport infrastructure, with a particular emphasis on the Lagos–Abidjan corridor, have been finalised.
The project, which is a component of the EU Commission’s Global Gateway Initiative, intends to do away with around 80 extortion checkpoints that stand between Lagos State and the Benin Republic Border.
During a tripartite meeting between the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, the EU mission, and ECOWAS on Monday in Lagos, Celine Lhoste, the Team Lead of the EU mission to Nigeria and ECOWAS, revealed this.
“There is an investment package of €150bn for Africa and West Africa is an important region where we are already investing a lot along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor,” she declared.
Lhoste emphasised how crucial Lagos ports are to the effectiveness of trade in the Lagos-Abidjan corridor.
She highlighted that the EU would continue to assist initiatives to enhance inland dry ports and relieve traffic on Lagos’ ports.
Lhoste indicated interest in promoting coastal shipping, which may greatly increase trade between Nigeria and Benin, between the ports of Cotonou and Lagos.
“We are looking at possible investments to facilitate trade and transport along the corridor and in Lagos. The investment package under the global gateway initiative seeks to use various funding sources, including private sector contributions and grants, to lower the cost of investments,” she stated.
Lhoste claims that the EU is also in talks with the Port of Antwerp about the possibility of employing barges to reduce traffic and enhance linkages between seaports and Nigeria’s hinterlands.
Jesus Gavilan, the Transport Officer of the EU Commission’s Directorate General International Partnership, described the difficulties that exist along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor, including the multiple checkpoints that impede efficient transportation 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 big barrier for transport between the two countries,” Gavilan averred.
In order to facilitate the flow of products between Benin and Nigeria, he mentioned that the EU was developing a one-stop border post.
Gavilan insisted that much work needed to be done to ensure the seamless movement of commodities and that the border post had not been completely functioning.
According to him, the project—which is being carried out in collaboration with the European Investment Bank and the French Development Agency—is getting close to its formal debut.
In order to relieve congestion in the seaports and boost exports overseas, Gavilan also stressed the importance of inland dry ports.
He explained, “EU would have a look into investing in infrastructure while partnering with the Nigerian Shippers’ Council.”
Pius Akutah, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council’s Executive Secretary, had earlier reaffirmed the organization’s dedication to trade facilitation and port efficiency.
Additionally, he emphasised its function in determining tariffs and handling fees in order to lower cargo abandonment and speed up ship turnaround times.
Akutah requested EU funding to construct important transport infrastructures through Executive Director of Human Resources, Ms. Ada Okam.
Mustapha Zubairu, the NSC’s Director of Special Duties, stressed the necessity of a railway at the Lekki port in order to relieve traffic congestion brought on by nearby industrial activity.
In order to enable smooth cargo transportation, he emphasised the need for standard regulations throughout the regional corridor and advocated for EU funding in that field.
Zubairu also emphasised the necessity of enhancing infrastructure and security, and he recommended working with international financial organisations such as the African Development Bank and the ECOWAS Bank for Development.
