The ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) plans to double its balance sheet to approximately $4.4 billion over the next five years as it intensifies efforts to help close West Africa’s estimated $36 billion annual infrastructure financing gap. According to Bloomberg, cited by bne IntelliNews, the expansion strategy comes as the regional development bank seeks to strengthen its lending capacity and mobilise greater investment for transport, energy, healthcare, housing, and other critical infrastructure projects across the 12-member ECOWAS bloc.
The announcement followed EBID’s 99th Ordinary Board Session, chaired by President Dr. George Agyekum Donkor, during which the bank approved more than $417 million in financing for five strategic public and private sector projects. The approved investments span transport infrastructure, healthcare, housing finance, mining, public asset management, and regional connectivity, reflecting the institution’s commitment to supporting economic growth, job creation, private sector development, and improved access to essential services across West Africa.
EBID’s expansion aligns with its Growth, Resilience and Optimisation (GRO) Strategy, which aims to enhance the bank’s financial strength and increase its development impact at a time when infrastructure financing remains one of the region’s biggest constraints to economic integration. The institution has also attracted stronger international backing in recent months, including the African Development Bank’s decision to become its first external institutional shareholder through a $30 million equity investment and a $70 million credit line, reinforcing confidence in the bank’s long-term growth strategy.
For West Africa, EBID’s planned balance sheet expansion represents a significant step toward narrowing the region’s infrastructure financing deficit and accelerating regional integration. Analysts say a stronger regional development bank will improve access to long-term financing for transformative projects, stimulate private investment, enhance cross-border connectivity, and support sustainable economic growth across ECOWAS member states.
