Ein Balanceakt: Wie Westafrika bei Investitionsgeschäften wieder mehr Einfluss gewinnt

This research paper argues that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) must align its pursuit of economic structural transformation with economic sovereignty to regain credibility among its citizens. It highlights the region's potential to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) in critical minerals and renewable energy while warning that overdependence on external funding and fragmented infrastructure hinder sustainable growth.

• West Africa faces a crisis of credibility and internal division, exemplified by the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from ECOWAS in January 2025. Many citizens perceive ECOWAS as an "elite institution" that prioritizes the interests of international investors and foreign powers over the needs of ordinary West Africans.
• Despite receiving only about 1 percent of global FDI inflows in 2023, West Africa is a top three recipient of FDI within Africa. The region is strategically positioned to attract investment in technology and the energy transition due to its youthful population—with an urban population projected to reach 436 million by 2050—and abundant minerals like copper, manganese, and bauxite.
• The West African energy sector is severely hampered by a financing gap and fragmented infrastructure, resulting in only 42 percent of the population (and 8 percent of rural residents) having electricity access. This underdevelopment is exacerbated by a lack of coordinated regional energy markets, leading national governments to favor short-term, localized solutions over regional cooperation.
• There is a significant overdependence on foreign donors for the implementation of regional energy initiatives. For example, more than 60 percent of the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) operational budget for 2025 was funded by foreign donors, which limits the autonomy of ECOWAS members in designing and executing their own projects.
• The paper recommends that ECOWAS establish a harmonised regional investment framework to increase collective bargaining power and prioritize multinational energy infrastructure. It suggests using Cabo Verde as a model for clean energy adoption and promoting battery storage and regional interconnectivity to support the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

APA

Sam, H. (2025). Ein Balanceakt: Wie Westafrika bei Investitionsgeschäften wieder mehr Einfluss gewinnt. Africa Policy Research Institute. https://afripoli.org/de/ein-balanceakt-wie-westafrika-bei-investitionsgeschaeften-wieder-mehr-einfluss-gewinnt-en

Chicago

Sam, Hermine. Ein Balanceakt: Wie Westafrika bei Investitionsgeschäften wieder mehr Einfluss gewinnt. Africa Policy Research Institute, 2025. https://afripoli.org/de/ein-balanceakt-wie-westafrika-bei-investitionsgeschaeften-wieder-mehr-einfluss-gewinnt-en.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Sam |first1=Hermine |title=Ein Balanceakt: Wie Westafrika bei Investitionsgeschäften wieder mehr Einfluss gewinnt |publisher=Africa Policy Research Institute |date=6 November 2025 |url=https://afripoli.org/de/ein-balanceakt-wie-westafrika-bei-investitionsgeschaeften-wieder-mehr-einfluss-gewinnt-en |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sam2025ein, author = {Sam, Hermine}, title = {{Ein Balanceakt: Wie Westafrika bei Investitionsgeschäften wieder mehr Einfluss gewinnt}}, institution = {Africa Policy Research Institute}, year = {2025}, month = nov, url = {https://afripoli.org/de/ein-balanceakt-wie-westafrika-bei-investitionsgeschaeften-wieder-mehr-einfluss-gewinnt-en}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }