ECOWAS Devt Bank Allocates $100m for Kano-Maradi Rail Project

The ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) has approved a $100 million facility for the acquisition of rolling stock and operational equipment for Phase II of the Kano-Maradi Standard Gauge Railway Project.

The facility is part of four strategic operations worth a combined $390 million approved by the bank’s Board of Directors at its 101st Ordinary Meeting held on September 28, 2026, in Lomé, Togo.

According to EBID, the Nigerian facility is expected to strengthen transport links while facilitating trade and mobility. The bank said the other approved operations cover energy, mining and climate-smart agriculture across West Africa.

In Ghana, the board approved a $50 million facility for MOSL Limited to support the supply of petroleum products, while another $230 million facility was approved for Azumah Resources Ghana Limited to develop the Black Volta Gold Project.

It also approved a $10 million facility for Ghana, Senegal and Togo to support the pilot phase of the West Africa Initiative for Climate-Smart Agriculture (WAICSA), aimed at promoting resilient agricultural practices and expanding access to agricultural finance.

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 financing projects with tangible economic and developmental impact.

He said the approved operations would “support productive activity, strengthen regional value chains, facilitate trade and create opportunities for private-sector participation and employment.”

EBID said the approvals reinforced its commitment to implementing its Growth, Resilience and Optimisation (GRO) Strategy (2026-2030), while advancing key Sustainable Development Goals, including poverty reduction, zero hunger, decent work and economic growth, infrastructure development and climate action.

The bank said its investments in agriculture, energy, transport infrastructure, mining and climate-smart development were aimed at delivering sustainable solutions, strengthening regional integration and improving living conditions across West African communities.