Speaking at the 2026 First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament in Abuja, Dr Kalilou Sylla, Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, projected major long-term economic transformations across West Africa.
He stated that forecasts from the United Nations and global academic institutions suggest that Nigeria could become the world’s fifth-largest economy within the next 50 years, while Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire may rank among the world’s 15 richest nations within 25 years. He also suggested that Côte d’Ivoire could surpass France economically within 70 years, a claim likely to generate debate given France’s current global economic standing.
Sylla made the remarks during discussions on regional integration and economic cooperation ahead of an upcoming ECOWAS summit focused on the future of West Africa.
He emphasized that West Africa’s economic growth would depend more on stronger intra-regional trade than on external markets, particularly urging Nigeria to develop clearer policies to enhance market access across the sub-region.
According to him, barriers to trade within ECOWAS remain a major challenge, even though Nigeria continues to play a dominant role in regional finance, banking, and exports.
He further noted that intra-regional trade has reportedly increased significantly in recent years, suggesting that deeper integration is possible despite existing political and logistical obstacles.
The session also examined governance, economic cooperation, and regional stability amid ongoing challenges such as political tensions, currency pressures, and global economic slowdown.
