The Fifth Regional Forum of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) has ended in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, with the adoption of about 20 recommendations aimed at accelerating infrastructure development across the West African region.

The three-day forum, which concluded on July 10, 2026, brought together representatives of ECOWAS member states, regional institutions, the private sector, civil society organisations, private investors, technical and financial partners, as well as experts in public-private partnerships.

At the close of the meeting, participants agreed on a series of measures designed to strengthen regional cooperation and create a more enabling environment for infrastructure investment.

A key recommendation was the gradual harmonisation of regulatory frameworks governing public-private partnerships across ECOWAS member states.

Participants noted that aligning the legal and regulatory systems would facilitate cross-border investments, reduce barriers to doing business, and encourage greater private sector participation in regional infrastructure projects.

The forum also urged member states to undertake the institutional, legal and regulatory reforms necessary to improve the investment climate and enhance the legal certainty of PPP projects.

According to participants, such reforms are critical to attracting long-term private investment needed to bridge the region’s infrastructure gap.

The stakeholders commended the ECOWAS Commission for promoting dialogue between governments and the private sector as a strategy for accelerating regional infrastructure development.

They stressed that sustained collaboration between both sectors would be essential to delivering quality infrastructure capable of driving economic integration and sustainable development across West Africa.

To ensure continuity of discussions and the exchange of best practices, participants called for the yearly organisation of the regional PPP forum.

They said regular engagements would provide opportunities to assess progress, share experiences and address emerging challenges in the implementation of public-private partnership projects.

The recommendations adopted at the forum are expected to support ECOWAS’ broader objective of improving regional connectivity through enhanced transport, energy, telecommunications and other critical infrastructure, while mobilising greater private sector investment to complement public financing.

The forum reaffirmed the commitment of ECOWAS and its stakeholders to strengthening partnerships that will boost economic growth, deepen regional integration and improve the quality of life of citizens across the sub-region.