Expert Calls For Stronger Regional Finance To Build Resilient West Africa

President and chairman of the Board of Directors of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), Dr George Donkor, has called for stronger regional development finance and greater mobilisation of public and private capital to accelerate West Africa’s transformation.

Speaking at a High-Level Hard Talk session at the Rebranding Africa Forum (RAF) 2026 in Brussels, Donkor presented his vision for ‘Building the West Africa of Tomorrow: Financing People, Prosperity and Regional Integration’.

He said turning the region’s economic potential into tangible development gains requires strategic investments in reliable energy, modern transport networks, digital infrastructure, industrialisation and human capital.

According to him, these priorities underpin EBID’s Growth, Resilience and Optimisation (GRO) Strategy 2026–2030, which focuses on strategic investments, sustainability and regional integration.

Donkor noted that limited long-term financing, risk perceptions and shortage of bankable projects continue to constrain development across the sub-region, adding that EBID is working to structure viable projects, reduce investment risks and mobilise innovative financing to attract capital into high-impact opportunities.

He disclosed that the bank has committed over $6 billion to more than 330 projects across its fifteen member states, supporting infrastructure, energy, agriculture, industry, healthcare, education and financial services.

“The West Africa of tomorrow will not be built through ambition alone. It will be built through strategic investments in people, infrastructure and regional integration. At EBID, we are committed to mobilising the capital, partnerships and innovative financing solutions needed to transform our region’s immense potential into shared prosperity,” Donkor stated.

He called on governments, development partners, institutional investors and the private sector to strengthen collaboration to finance the region’s transformation, while reaffirming EBID’s commitment to advancing sustainable growth and regional integration across West Africa.