SDGs drive EBID’s $390m West Africa investment Push
…Kano-Maradi rail gets $100m as regional bank targets poverty, jobs, trade
By Onu Okorie
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have emerged as a key driver of a fresh $390 million investment package approved by the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) for strategic projects across West Africa, including a $100 million facility for Nigeria’s Kano-Maradi Standard Gauge Railway.
The financing package, approved at EBID’s 101st Ordinary Meeting of its Board of Directors in Lomé, Togo, is targeted at projects linked to poverty reduction, food security, infrastructure development, employment creation, climate resilience and regional economic integration.
For Nigeria, the $100 million financing will support the acquisition of rolling stock and operational equipment for Phase II of the Kano-Maradi Standard Gauge Railway Project.
The intervention places the railway at the centre of efforts to deepen economic connectivity between northern Nigeria and the wider West African market, particularly by improving the movement of people and goods across borders.
The project is also expected to provide a more efficient transport corridor linking economic centres in Nigeria with landlocked areas of the Sahel and other markets within the ECOWAS region.
Infrastructure meets development goals
EBID said the latest approvals were aligned with its Growth, Resilience and Optimisation (GRO) Strategy 2026-2030, under which the development finance institution is seeking to increase its impact on productive activities and regional integration.
The projects collectively support several SDGs, including SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
The bank’s approach reflects an attempt to link development financing with projects capable of generating economic activity rather than merely providing infrastructure.
The Kano-Maradi rail investment, for instance, is expected to strengthen trade connectivity, while the climate-smart agriculture programme is targeted at improving agricultural resilience and access to finance.
Ghana takes largest share
The largest component of the package is a $230 million facility for Azumah Resources Ghana Limited for development of the Black Volta Gold Project in Ghana.
EBID said the investment would support local value creation and productive capacity in Ghana’s mining industry, potentially strengthening economic activity around the project.
The bank also approved $50 million for MOSL Limited in Ghana to support petroleum products supply.
Another $10 million was approved for the pilot phase of the West Africa Initiative for Climate-Smart Agriculture (WAICSA) covering Ghana, Senegal and Togo.
The WAICSA programme is designed to promote climate-resilient farming practices while expanding financing opportunities for agricultural activities.
Regional value chains
Commenting on the approvals, EBID President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Dr George Agyekum Donkor, said the investments reflected the bank’s focus on projects with measurable economic and developmental impact.
He said the approved operations would support productive activities, strengthen regional value chains, facilitate trade and create opportunities for private-sector participation and employment.
The bank said its investments in transport, mining, petroleum products, agriculture and climate resilience were designed to provide sustainable development solutions while strengthening regional economic integration.
For Nigeria, the Kano-Maradi railway financing goes beyond the procurement of trains and operational equipment, with the project potentially becoming an important component of the region’s emerging trade infrastructure.
Improved rail connectivity could lower transportation barriers, facilitate movement between northern Nigeria and neighbouring West African markets and strengthen the links between Sahelian economies and coastal commercial centres.
EBID said the four approved operations demonstrate the growing role of development finance in supporting infrastructure and productive sectors while advancing regional integration.
The latest package therefore places the SDGs at the intersection of infrastructure financing, private-sector development and West Africa’s broader push to build more integrated and resilient economies.
