Peter Amewu, former Ghanaian Railway Minister, boldly declared in 2024 that Ghanaians would soon board trains from Accra to Lagos, signaling active feasibility studies for Trans-ECOWAS lines linking Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria. This vision taps into broader West African rail ambitions to boost trade and mobility across borders.
Regional Momentum Builds
Amewu’s statements align with ECOWAS plans for a coastal rail corridor from Dakar to Lagos, prioritizing high-density routes like Abidjan-Accra-Lagos for phased rollout. Ghana’s Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe recently advanced Ghana-Burkina Faso rail links, a key inland extension that could feed into coastal networks.
Continental transport leaders echo this through Agenda 2063, with projects like TARC eyeing high-speed operations by 2030 across 24,000 km, connecting West Africa to North Africa and beyond.
Key Statements from Leaders
– Peter Amewu (Ghana, 2024): “Traveling by train from Ghana to Nigeria is possible… we’ve started constructing a railway from Ghana to Burkina Faso, so why not Nigeria?” He cited $1.2B viability gaps but stressed PPP solutions.
– ECOWAS Transport Ministers: Feasibility for Trans-ECOWAS lines from Lomé to Ivory Coast is complete, with modernization across the bloc “on course.”
– African Union Visions: Integrated corridors demand harmonized gauges and governance, evolving regional bodies into active coordinators.
Challenges Ahead
Funding via PPPs remains a hurdle, with Ghana’s 2025 budget approving Eastern and Western line studies but noting massive gaps. Border harmonization, political will, and logistics complicate timelines, yet phased coastal builds offer early wins.
Travel by train from Accra to Lagos looks plausible within the decade if momentum holds, transforming West Africa’s economic arteries.
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