Lagos hosted the second meeting of the West Africa Integration and Investment Summit Private Sector Advisory Board, marking a clear shift from discussion to concrete planning. President Julius Maada Bio and Tony O. Elumelu co‑chaired the session, bringing together major industrial groups, energy and mining firms, and leading finance institutions. The gathering underscored the shared intention of West Africa investment leaders to transform the region’s abundant resources into measurable projects, jobs, and sustainable growth. The presence of Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo‑Olu highlighted local government backing for the initiative.
President Bio presented a vision of a consolidated market that can serve more than four hundred million people across West Africa. He described the summit as a platform designed to mobilise businesses locally and globally, focusing on deepening trade, investment, and economic cooperation. In his remarks he emphasised that West Africa investment efforts must move from advocacy to active capital mobilisation, urging the advisory board to turn ideas into partnerships, partnerships into investments, and investments into lasting prosperity. The timing is urgent, with the summit scheduled for early November.
Tony O. Elumelu, co‑chair and host, emphasised President Bio’s determination to make his ECOWAS leadership count, noting that the president had personally approached each sector leader. He explained that the initiative demonstrates a shared commitment to West Africa investment, promising to create jobs for young people and to harness domestic capital. Representatives of major banks and financial corporations expressed readiness to finance bankable projects, while industry leaders such as the Dangote Group underlined the critical role of power infrastructure. The conversation moved quickly from dialogue to practical steps.
Board members reported a pipeline of 170 project submissions, from which 26 concrete projects have been selected, representing a combined value exceeding ten billion United States dollars. The portfolio is projected to expand to fifteen billion dollars or more by the time the summit convenes in Freetown. Representatives from the Africa Finance Corporation, Afreximbank, Africa50, and the Central Bank of West African States each outlined their institutions’ roles in supporting West Africa investment. Continuous monitoring will ensure that capital flows follow through into implemented agreements.
The summit’s agenda concentrates on four anchor sectors: energy trade and industrialisation, strategic minerals, agribusiness, and digital transformation. Each sector presents opportunities for West Africa investment that can be turned into bankable assets. Energy leaders discussed a regional power corridor financed by domestic capital, while mining executives emphasised the region’s mineral richness. Agribusiness participants shared plans for value‑chain integration, and digital technology firms presented proposals for scalable platforms. Coordinated policy actions and secure regulatory environments are essential to unlock these opportunities.
Government leaders stressed that private sector ambition must be matched by decisive public action. The governor of Lagos, Babajide Sanwo‑Olu, thanked President Bio and Mr. Elumelu for driving the initiative, noting that a single market for goods and services will attract investors. He called for policy certainty, regulatory efficiency, and security to give long‑term investors confidence. The discussion reaffirmed that governments must provide the stable framework required for West Africa investment to thrive, ensuring that businesses can operate across borders without hindrance.
The inaugural West Africa Integration and Investment Summit will take place on 17 and 18 November 2026 at the Julius Maada Bio International Conference Centre in Lungi, Sierra Leone. Heads of state, global investors, and business leaders will gather to advance projects across the four priority sectors. At the summit’s close, organisers expect a pipeline of transactions exceeding fifteen billion dollars, representing a tangible step toward regional integration. This event marks a decisive moment for West Africa investment, promising to convert potential into measurable economic gains for the people of the sub‑region.