West African leaders are convening in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, to address significant regional challenges, primarily the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger from the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas).
Despite the potential diplomatic setback, the region is simultaneously advancing an ambitious infrastructural initiative: a 1,028-kilometer superhighway connecting Abidjan in the Ivory Coast to Lagos in Nigeria. The project, which traverses Ghana, Togo, and Benin, represents a strategic response to recent regional political disruptions.
Preliminary funding of $15.6 billion has been secured, with construction planned to commence in 2026 and targeted completion by 2030. The highway is projected to generate approximately 70,000 jobs and serve as more than just a transportation corridor.
The project mirrors historical economic integration efforts, drawing parallels with Europe’s transformation through the Common Market and subsequent European Union. Ecowas aims to demonstrate regional collaboration and economic potential by creating a modern transport infrastructure, potentially attracting the dissenting states back into the fold.
The proposed four-to-six-lane motorway will interconnect major urban centers, including Abidjan (8.3 million residents), Accra (4 million), Lomรฉ (2 million), Cotonou (2.6 million), and Lagos (nearly 20 million). These cities represent critical trade gateways for the region.
Administrative improvements are already evident, with modernized border crossings featuring collaborative passport and documentation checks, reducing bureaucratic friction and corruption risks.
The highway project extends beyond transportation, incorporating future railway line provisions along the Gulf of Guinea coastline. This strategic planning addresses current infrastructure limitations and promises enhanced regional connectivity.
The withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger represents a significant challenge, with the bloc losing 76 million people and substantial geographical territory. However, the leadership views this infrastructure initiative as a potential mechanism for future reconciliation and reintegration.
Existing economic interdependencies remain strong. Significant trade flows persist between Sahelian and coastal countries, including livestock exports, agricultural produce exchange, and labor migration. Millions of workers from landlocked nations contribute to coastal economies, particularly in agricultural sectors like Ivory Coast’s cocoa plantations.
While the military regimes have portrayed their Ecowas withdrawal as a stance against perceived bullying, the remaining member states hope that accelerated economic development and breakthrough projects will gradually rebuild trust and regional identity.
The highway represents more than physical infrastructure; it symbolizes a vision of economic integration, potential political reconciliation, and shared regional prosperity. Ecowas seeks to create an attractive economic environment that might ultimately draw the dissenting states back into collaborative regional frameworks by reducing trade barriers and investing in transformative projects.
About the author
Former Dancing With The Stars Judge Julian Benson Dies at 54 After Battling with Cystic Fibrosis
Former Dancing With The Stars judge Julian Benson has died at the age of 54. The TV star, who was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis from an early age, died surrounded by family and friends earlier today. It brings to an end an extraordinary life in which the RTร star defied the odds doctors gave him as a child. At the time, his mother was told he was not expected to live into his teens. His death follows his kidney transplant last October. Speaking at the time, he said he had only had 90 minutes' notice before the surgery. Announcing his death this afternoon, his family said, "It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Julian Benson. Julian passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family and closest friends, after a courageous battle with cystic fibrosis. […]
Foreign Students Face Uncertainty as US Revokes Visas and Detains Campus Activists
Foreign students across US colleges are experiencing growing anxiety as plainclothes agents have been seen detaining students in unmarked cars, with videos of these incidents circulating on social media. Those taken into custody during these high-profile detentions have not faced criminal charges but appear targeted for involvement in pro-Palestinian campus protests. The Trump administration has repeatedly stated that visas are a "privilege" that can be revoked for various reasons. However, the scale of the crackdown appears larger than initially believed, with over 1,000 international students or recent graduates across US colleges having had their visas revoked or legal statuses changed, according to a tracker from Inside Higher Ed. Many affected students don't know why their status changed, and universities often only discover these changes when checking government databases that track international students' visa status. This combination of targeted detentions and […]
Human Skull Discovered in Garden During Home Renovation in Cork
GARDAร are investigating the discovery of what appear to be historic human remains in west Cork after a skull wrapped in plastic was unearthed during property development work. The discovery occurred outside the village of Eyeries, where a homeowner had been renovating her property and garden in recent weeks. Workers uncovered an old plastic shopping bag while using a mini excavator to level portions of the garden for installing a greenhouse intended for growing organic vegetables and herbs. Upon inspection, they were shocked to discover what appeared to be a human skull inside the bag. Authorities are uncertain whether the remains belong to an adult or a teenager, but they appear to have been there for a considerable period. The plastic was notably faded, and the remains consisted primarily of bone. One source indicated the remains could potentially date back […]
U.S. Strike on Yemen Fuel Port Results in Dozens of Casualties, According to Houthi Media
U.S. strikes on a fuel port in Yemen killed at least 58 people, according to Houthi-run Al Masirah TV, marking one of the deadliest attacks since the United States began its military campaign against the Iran-backed militants. The United States has stated it will not cease the large-scale strikes that began last monthโits most significant military operation in the Middle East since President Donald Trump took office in Januaryโunless the Houthis stop their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. Al Masirah TV reported that Thursday's strikes on the western fuel port of Ras Isa also resulted in 126 wounded. The U.S. military characterized the operation as an effort to cut off a fuel source for the Houthi militant group. When Reuters requested comment regarding the casualty figures reported by the Houthis and the U.S. military's estimate, U.S. Central Command […]
Minister Jack Chambers Questioned Over Past Planning Objections Despite Recent Housing Comments
Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers, who recently criticized planning objections based on "character of an area" concerns, is facing scrutiny over his past objection to a development that included apartments. This week, Chambers announced measures to accelerate infrastructure delivery. He stated that objections based on neighborhood character are "nebulous" and block housing supply goals. He claimed there are "countless examples" of people trying to "frustrate" housing development for the "broad public good." However, records show that in 2016, Chambers objected to a mixed-use Lidl development in Castleknock that included eight apartments. As a local TD then, he argued the project would "compromise and constrain the aesthetic and visual outlook" of the village. During an An Bord Pleanala hearing in 2017, he reportedly described the development as a "monstrosity" that "puts an atomic bomb under the conservation area." In his […]
Hard-Right Allies at Odds: Meloni’s Diplomatic Tightrope Between Trump and the EU
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni faced a delicate diplomatic challenge during her White House visit as she attempted to balance her ideological alignment with President Trump against her responsibilities to the European Union. The relationship between the United States and the EU has grown increasingly strained under Trump's administration. Meloni, part of a newer generation of hard-right European leaders with connections to the Trump administration, has cultivated a personal rapport with the president, who has described her as "a real live wire" and a "fantastic woman." Her anti-immigration stance aligns with Trump's policies, earning her a reputation as someone who can effectively communicate with him. Meloni's visit comes amid widespread international concern over Trump's global tariff policies. Initially imposing a 20% tax on all EU goods entering the United States, Trump later reduced this to a 10% blanket rate following […]
Related
Former Dancing With The Stars Judge Julian Benson Dies at 54 After Battling with Cystic Fibrosis
Former Dancing With The Stars judge Julian Benson has died at the age of 54. The TV star, who was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis from an early age, died surrounded by family and friends earlier today. It brings to an end an extraordinary life in which the RTร star defied the odds doctors gave him as a child. At the time, his mother was told he was not expected to live into his teens. His death follows his kidney transplant last October. Speaking at the time, he said he had only had 90 minutes' notice before the surgery. Announcing his death this afternoon, his family said, "It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Julian Benson. Julian passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family and closest friends, after a courageous battle with cystic fibrosis. […]
Foreign Students Face Uncertainty as US Revokes Visas and Detains Campus Activists
Foreign students across US colleges are experiencing growing anxiety as plainclothes agents have been seen detaining students in unmarked cars, with videos of these incidents circulating on social media. Those taken into custody during these high-profile detentions have not faced criminal charges but appear targeted for involvement in pro-Palestinian campus protests. The Trump administration has repeatedly stated that visas are a "privilege" that can be revoked for various reasons. However, the scale of the crackdown appears larger than initially believed, with over 1,000 international students or recent graduates across US colleges having had their visas revoked or legal statuses changed, according to a tracker from Inside Higher Ed. Many affected students don't know why their status changed, and universities often only discover these changes when checking government databases that track international students' visa status. This combination of targeted detentions and […]
Human Skull Discovered in Garden During Home Renovation in Cork
GARDAร are investigating the discovery of what appear to be historic human remains in west Cork after a skull wrapped in plastic was unearthed during property development work. The discovery occurred outside the village of Eyeries, where a homeowner had been renovating her property and garden in recent weeks. Workers uncovered an old plastic shopping bag while using a mini excavator to level portions of the garden for installing a greenhouse intended for growing organic vegetables and herbs. Upon inspection, they were shocked to discover what appeared to be a human skull inside the bag. Authorities are uncertain whether the remains belong to an adult or a teenager, but they appear to have been there for a considerable period. The plastic was notably faded, and the remains consisted primarily of bone. One source indicated the remains could potentially date back […]
Catholic Priest Charged With Trying To Contact Child For Sexual Purposes
A 58-year-old Catholic priest from Donegal faced court proceedings after being charged with attempted sexual communication with a child. Fr Edward Gallagher, residing at Orchard Park in Lifford, appeared before Derry Magistrates' Court via video link following his arrest on Thursday. The arrest occurred outside a hotel in Derry. During the special sitting, which took place in Dungannon, Fr Gallagher confirmed he understood the charge against him. The charge alleges attempted sexual communication with a child between April 2 and April 17. A Police Service of Northern Ireland officer testified that they could connect Fr Gallagher to the charge presented to the court. The priest's legal representative applied for legal aid during the proceedings, explaining that while his client had previously received "a modest stipend," those financial arrangements would likely "cease" due to "the circumstances of this case." No application […]
Trump Cuts Devastate Irish Aid Agencies As Hundreds Lose Jobs Worldwide
US aid funding cuts have severely impacted Irish aid agencies working in developing countries, according to documents obtained by RTร News through Freedom of Information requests. The documents reveal significant uncertainty among Irish non-governmental organizations following President Donald Trump's executive order freezing and terminating foreign aid funding. As the Trump administration's review of US foreign aid concludes this weekend, Irish agencies are already dealing with job losses, suspended overseas programs, and operational uncertainty. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), previously one of the world's largest foreign aid donors, was effectively dismantled by the Trump administration in January. Emails and briefing notes show the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) maintained contact with Ireland's aid agencies as tens of millions in funding essentially disappeared. Hundreds of redundancies have occurred across Irish aid organizations, with development projects in countries including Sierra […]
Supreme Court Blocks Trump’s Gang Deportations Using Ancient War Law
The US Supreme Court has ordered the Trump administration to halt deportations of alleged Venezuelan gang members who are being detained in North Texas under an 18th-century wartime statute. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit against the government, arguing that the detainees haven't been given opportunities to challenge their cases in court. President Trump has deported accused Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador's notorious mega-jail by invoking the 1798 Alien Enemies Act. This law grants the president authority to detain and deport citizens of "enemy" nations without typical legal processes. Historically, the act had only been utilized three times during wartime periods, with its last application during World War II when Japanese descendants were imprisoned without trial, and many sent to internment camps. Trump's aggressive immigration policies have faced several legal challenges since he took office in […]
Be the first to leave a comment