West Africa enters 2027 as a resilient and increasingly diverse investment market, with growth supported by infrastructure investment, agriculture, and expanding oil, gas and mining activity. The African Development Bank’s 2026 African Economic Outlook projects regional GDP growth of 4.5% in 2027, a slight moderation from the 4.6% projected for 2026 in its West Africa Regional Economic Outlook and the 4.8% estimated for 2025. The outlook is uneven across countries, and tax revenues remain low (averaging 9.9% of GDP against a 20% regional convergence benchmark), but new resource projects and investment in energy, transport and processing are creating opportunities to build more productive regional value chains in 2027 and beyond.
The 2027 West Africa Regional Outlook Webinar will examine what the year ahead holds for the region and how investors and policymakers can translate this momentum into broader economic value. Key topics of discussion include:
Oil, gas and emerging producers: How new production and infrastructure in countries such as Senegal and Niger are expected to reshape regional energy markets, supply chains and investment opportunities in 2027 and beyond, against a backdrop of elevated but easing global energy prices.
Agribusiness and local processing: How capital, infrastructure and policy can help move the region beyond raw commodity exports towards agro-processing, manufacturing and higher-value goods.
Regional trade and logistics: The role of ECOWAS, ports, rail, road and digital infrastructure in improving connectivity, facilitating cross-border trade and strengthening regional value chains.
Financing, currency and investment risk: How investors can navigate financing costs, currency volatility and fiscal constraints, including through blended finance, risk-sharing and public-private partnerships, and how stronger tax collection and deeper regional capital markets such as the BRVM could mobilise more domestic resources.
The session will bring together regional experts to assess where investable opportunities are emerging and how West Africa can convert its demographic, agricultural and natural-resource advantages into resilient growth in 2027 and beyond.
Source: AfDB, West Africa Growth Projected at 4.6% in 2026 (10 August 2026): https://www.afdb.org/en/news-and-events/west-africa-growth-projected-46-2026-remains-resilient-afdb-regional-economic-outlook-report