Lagos, June 20, 2025 – Day One of the 2025 West Africa Economic Summit (WAES) opened in Lagos with high-level delegates, investors, policymakers, and business leaders converging to explore strategies for accelerating regional integration and unlocking trade and investment opportunities across West Africa.
With the theme “Unlocking Trade and Investment Opportunities Across West Africa”, the summit began on a strong note, as keynote speakers underscored the urgency of deepening economic collaboration, improving infrastructure, and enhancing cross-border policy harmonisation within the subregion.
Declaring the summit open, a representative of the Federal Government reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to championing economic integration and fostering an enabling environment for intra-African trade. He noted that regional stability, a unified trade vision, and improved public-private partnerships are essential in harnessing West Africa’s full economic potential.
“This summit is a timely platform to chart a clear path toward collective prosperity. Our economies can no longer afford to work in isolation,” the official stated.
Speakers from ECOWAS, the African Development Bank, and top corporate players highlighted opportunities in sectors such as energy, agriculture, logistics, technology, and infrastructure. Panels explored how to leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and streamline customs frameworks to boost efficiency and reduce trade bottlenecks.
Day One also featured a showcase of innovation-driven startups and investment-ready projects, with investors expressing optimism about the growing confidence in West African markets. Participants engaged in breakout sessions on cross-border financing, youth entrepreneurship, digital trade, and policy reforms.
Industry stakeholders applauded the summit’s focus on actionable outcomes and emphasised the need for political will, security cooperation, and private sector engagement to realise the region’s economic aspirations.
As WAES 2025 continues into its second day, delegates are expected to build on momentum from the opening session with further deliberations aimed at producing a practical roadmap for a more connected and prosperous West Africa.
