Togo has proposed revising the financing of the planned Abidjan–Lagos motorway, whose initially estimated $15 billion cost could fall to $13 billion or even $10 billion under options being examined. Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Sani Yaya outlined the proposals at a ministerial steering committee meeting in Lomé on 30 October, according to an official statement published on 2 November 2026.
The six-lane motorway is designed to connect Abidjan, Accra, Lomé, Cotonou and Lagos over approximately 1,028 kilometres. The five participating countries face different revenue prospects along their respective sections, making the allocation of costs a central issue for a road conceived as a single regional corridor.
Lomé is therefore advocating a common financial equalisation mechanism and shared investment costs. Potential revenue from busier sections could help distribute the funding burden among the countries, rather than leaving each government to pay solely for the stretch within its borders.
A regional financing structure still taking shape
Togo also wants the Abidjan–Lagos Corridor Management Authority (ALCoMA) to become fully operational. Its board has been established, while the appointment of senior executives is expected to support project preparation and coordinate land acquisition, compensation and the clearance of construction rights of way.
The African Development Bank is acting as lead arranger for financing mobilisation. In May, ECOWAS announced joint missions to the five countries to secure commitments and explore concessional funding that could draw in private capital. That work underpins a cross-border project intended to improve trade and freight movements between West Africa’s principal coastal economies.