At the just-concluded GTR West Africa 2025 Conference in Lagos (April 24–25), policymakers, financiers and business leaders converged to reassess West Africa’s position in an increasingly fractured global economy.
With the United States reigniting tariff tensions and the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) nearing expiration, the region faces urgent decisions about its trade alliances and investment strategies.
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Delivering the keynote, Tedd George of Kleos Advisory framed the situation starkly: a “Trade War 2.0” is unfolding, and West Africa must pivot. As U.S. protectionism rises, the region is deepening ties with emerging markets like China, India, Brazil and the Gulf States.
Mr George challenged participants to rethink dependency on traditional Western partners and explore diversified, flexible alliances through platforms like AfCFTA. The clear message: ‘Africa must seize control of its trade future or risk being marginalised in a reshaped global order.’
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The discussions expanded into innovative financing for infrastructure, another pillar of sustainable growth. A high-powered panel featuring leaders from Africa Plus Partners, ATIDI, UK Export Finance, KUKE and Dutum Company Limited underscored that development ambitions will falter without solving Africa’s infrastructure financing gap.
The session highlighted successful examples from Côte d’Ivoire and Angola, stressing the urgency of strengthening project pipelines, leveraging export credit and tapping into domestic sources like Nigeria’s pension funds.
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Key solutions emphasised include:
– Early-stage project development to boost ‘bankability’
– Unlocking export credit agency (ECA) and blended finance mechanisms
– Promoting sustainable and impact-driven investment vehicles
– Creating regulatory environments that attract long-term capital
West African governments, private sector actors, and financiers must swiftly diversify trade alliances and overhaul infrastructure financing models. Without bold action, the region risks being sidelined in the new global trade era and falling short of its development aspirations. Participants at the conference believe the time to invest, integrate, and innovate is now.
