Der Ausbau kritischer Infrastruktur in Westafrika: Ein strategisches Muss für regionale Integration und Wirtschaftswachstum

The document examines the critical infrastructure gaps in West Africa, highlighting how deficiencies in energy, transport, digital connectivity, and water management hinder economic growth and the goals of ECOWAS's Vision 2050. It details specific initiatives like the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway and the West African Power Pool (WAPP), while identifying barriers such as corruption, regulatory fragmentation, and a regional infrastructure funding gap estimated between USD 20 billion and USD 36 billion per year. The paper advocates for Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), innovative financing like green bonds, and the inclusion of youth and SMEs to drive sustainable development.

• West Africa faces severe infrastructure deficits that impede economic productivity, particularly in the maritime sector where 90 percent of foreign trade depends on transport networks currently plagued by dilapidated infrastructure and slow cargo clearance.
• Energy access is a major constraint to industrialisation, with only 42 percent of the West African population having access to electricity according to World Bank data.
• The regional infrastructure funding gap was estimated in 2022 to be between USD 20 billion and USD 36 billion annually, leading to a heavy reliance on international development partners due to limited domestic finances.
• Digital infrastructure is inadequate, with a broadband penetration rate of only 25 percent, which has hindered the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in the region.
• The West African Power Pool (WAPP) aims to create a common electricity market and improve cross-border transmission; the African Development Bank (AfDB) has committed over USD 122.49 million to WAPP, including USD 112.5 million for the Nigeria-Niger-Benin-Burkina Faso Power Interconnection Project in 2019.
• The Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway is a 1,028-kilometer project connecting Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria; the EU provided a USD 10.38 million grant in 2019 for its preparatory phase.
• Regulatory fragmentation, corruption, and bureaucratic bottlenecks cause significant project delays and cost increases, exemplified by the Lagos-Ibadan Railway in Nigeria, which saw a 20 percent increase in material prices due to approval delays.
• Geopolitical instability, including the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger from ECOWAS, and security threats such as jihadist insurgencies and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, threaten the viability of regional connectivity projects.

APA

Adekanbi, A. S. (2025). Der Ausbau kritischer Infrastruktur in Westafrika: Ein strategisches Muss für regionale Integration und Wirtschaftswachstum. Africa Policy Research Institute. https://afripoli.org/de/der-ausbau-kritischer-infrastruktur-in-westafrika-ein-strategisches-muss-fur-regionale-integration-und-wirtschaftswachstum-en

Chicago

Adekanbi, Ayodeji Stephen. Der Ausbau kritischer Infrastruktur in Westafrika: Ein strategisches Muss für regionale Integration und Wirtschaftswachstum. Africa Policy Research Institute, 2025. https://afripoli.org/de/der-ausbau-kritischer-infrastruktur-in-westafrika-ein-strategisches-muss-fur-regionale-integration-und-wirtschaftswachstum-en.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Adekanbi |first1=Ayodeji Stephen |title=Der Ausbau kritischer Infrastruktur in Westafrika: Ein strategisches Muss für regionale Integration und Wirtschaftswachstum |publisher=Africa Policy Research Institute |date=4 November 2025 |url=https://afripoli.org/de/der-ausbau-kritischer-infrastruktur-in-westafrika-ein-strategisches-muss-fur-regionale-integration-und-wirtschaftswachstum-en |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{adekanbi2025der, author = {Adekanbi, Ayodeji Stephen}, title = {{Der Ausbau kritischer Infrastruktur in Westafrika: Ein strategisches Muss für regionale Integration und Wirtschaftswachstum}}, institution = {Africa Policy Research Institute}, year = {2025}, month = nov, url = {https://afripoli.org/de/der-ausbau-kritischer-infrastruktur-in-westafrika-ein-strategisches-muss-fur-regionale-integration-und-wirtschaftswachstum-en}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }