West Africa

==Transport==

===Rail transport===
{{Main|ECOWAS rail}}
[[File:Railways in westafrica 2022.jpg|center|thumb|700x700px|Railway systems in West Africa, 2022]]
A Trans-ECOWAS project, established in 2007, plans to upgrade railways in this zone. One of the goals of the [[Economic Community of West African States]] (ECOWAS) is the development of an integrated [[railroad]] network.<ref name="Proposed Ecowas railway"/> Aims include the extension of railways in member countries, the interconnection of previously isolated railways and the standardization of gauge, brakes, couplings, and other parameters. The first line would connect the cities and ports of [[Lagos]], [[Cotonou]], [[Lomé]] and [[Accra]] and would allow the largest container ships to focus on a smaller number of large ports, while efficiently serving a larger [[hinterland]]. This line connects {{RailGauge|3ft6in|lk=on}} gauge and {{RailGauge|1000mm|allk=on}} systems, which would require four rail [[dual gauge]], which can also provide [[standard gauge]].<ref name="Proposed Ecowas railway">[http://www.railwaysafrica.com/2009/10/proposed-ecowas-railway/ "Proposed Ecowas railway"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091024131043/http://www.railwaysafrica.com/2009/10/proposed-ecowas-railway/ |date=2009-10-24 }}. ''railwaysafrica.com''.</ref>
[[File:Railways in westafrica 2030b.jpg|center|thumb|700x700px|Railway systems in West Africa 2030, projection]]

===Road transport===
{{Main|Trans–West African Coastal Highway}}
[[File:Dakar-Lagos Highway Map.PNG|450px|right]]
The ''Trans–West African Coastal Highway'' is a transnational [[highway]] project to link 12 West African coastal states, from [[Mauritania]] in the north-west of the region to [[Nigeria]]<ref name="Nigeria Real Estate Market Review">{{cite book |url=https://www.northcourtrealestate.com/download/Nigeria_RE_Market_Review_H1_2022.pdf |title=Nigeria Real Estate Market Review |publisher=Northcourt }}{{pn|date=January 2024}}</ref> in the east, with feeder roads already existing to two landlocked countries, [[Mali]] and [[Burkina Faso]].<ref name="NEPAD">[https://www.un.org/ecosocdev/geninfo/afrec/vol20no3/203-highways.html Itai Madamombe (2006): "NEPAD promotes better transport networks"], ''Africa Renewal'', Vol. 20, No. 3 (October 2006), p. 14.</ref>

The eastern end of the highway terminates at [[Lagos]], [[Nigeria]].<ref name="Nigeria Real Estate Market Review"/> [[Economic Community of West African States]] (ECOWAS) consider its western end to be [[Nouakchott]], [[Mauritania]], or to be [[Dakar]], [[Senegal]], giving rise to these alternative names for the road:
* Nouakchott–Lagos Highway
* Lagos–Nouakchott Highway
* Dakar–Lagos Highway
* Lagos–Dakar Highway
* Trans-African Highway 7 in the [[Trans-African Highway]] network

===Air transport===
The capitals' airports include:
*[[Cadjehoun Airport]] (COO) International; Cotonou, Benin
*[[Ouagadougou Airport]] (OUA); Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
*[[Amílcar Cabral International Airport]] (SID); Praia, Cape Verde
*[[Banjul International Airport]] (BJL) International; Banjul, Gambia
*[[Kotoka International Airport]] (ACC); Accra; Ghana
*[[Conakry International Airport]] (CKY); Conakry, Guinea
*[[Osvaldo Vieira International Airport]] (OXB); Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
*[[Port Bouet Airport]] (ABJ); Abidjan, Ivory Coast
*[[Roberts International Airport]] (ROB); Monrovia, Liberia
*[[Bamako–Sénou International Airport]] (BKO); Bamako, Mali
*[[Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport]] (NKC); Nouakchott, Mauritania
*[[Diori Hamani International Airport]] (NIM); Niamey, Niger
*[[Murtala Muhammed International Airport]] (LOS); Lagos, Nigeria
*[[Saint Helena Airport]]; Jamestown, Saint Helena
*[[Blaise Diagne International Airport]] (DSS); Dakar, Senegal
*[[Lungi International Airport]] (FNA); Freetown, Sierra Leone
*[[Lomé–Tokoin Airport]] (LFW); Lomé, Togo

Of the sixteen, the most important hub and entry point to West Africa are [[Kotoka International Airport]], and [[Murtala Muhammed International Airport]], offering many international connections.