Unlocking West Africa’s potential through structure, not sentiment

When it comes to building Africa’s future, vision alone isn’t enough. It must be matched by structure, policy, and coordination. That was the resounding message at the inaugural West Africa Economic Summit (WAES) 2025, held on 20–21 June in Nigeria.

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Representing Premier Invest at the summit, Afolabi Obisesan reflects on why West Africa’s opportunity isn’t about resources alone, it’s about execution.

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“We’ve heard about Africa’s potential for decades,” Afolabi says. “But realising it requires more than ambition. It takes the architecture of coordination across governments, private capital, and policy.”

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A region ready to rise

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With the theme “Unlocking Trade and Investment Opportunities in the Region,” the summit brought together policymakers, financial institutions, and private sector leaders to tackle some of the region’s most pressing gaps, particularly the challenge of intra-regional trade, which remains below 8%.

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Discussions centred around how to bridge the gap between abundant resources and real outcomes: from job creation and infrastructure to industrialisation and shared prosperity.

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“West Africa’s mineral wealth and young population are huge advantages. But if we don’t build policy frameworks that turn raw potential into regional value chains, we’re exporting more than resources, we’re exporting opportunity,” Afolabi notes.

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Four priorities for regional growth

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Drawing from the discussions and Premier Invest’s advisory experience across the continent, Afolabi highlights four imperatives for unlocking West Africa’s economic future:

1. Policy that enables private investment Governments must move from intention to implementation: creating policy environments that not only welcome private capital but anchor it in local value creation.
2. Removal of non-tariff barriers Transit inefficiencies and fragmented customs systems undermine trade. Regional trade protocols must be harmonised and enforced to enable seamless goods movement.
3. Cross-border coordination Beyond bilateral MOUs, a unified trade strategy among ECOWAS members is needed to create a regional investment identity that attracts long-term capital.
4. Infrastructure investment Roads, ports, energy: the fundamentals must be prioritised through innovative financing structures, including public-private partnerships (PPPs), to unlock scale.

“This isn’t just about attracting investors,” Afolabi adds. “It’s about creating the environment where local businesses can scale and thrive. That’s what inclusive growth really means.”

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Premier Invest’s role

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As a firm rooted in Africa’s financial landscape, at Premier Invest we continue to advise governments and institutional clients on how to build investable frameworks that meet the needs of today’s capital markets.

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“We work at the intersection of policy and capital,” Afolabi says. “That means structuring bankable projects, building credible pipelines, and aligning execution with the ambitions we hear at summits like WAES.”

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Looking ahead

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WAES 2025 was not just a meeting of minds, it was a call to action. And as Afolabi puts it, the region is ready, but it needs coherence.

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“One region. One strategy. One voice. Now is the time for West Africa to transform ambition into structure and structure into outcomes.”