West Africa is at a pivotal juncture. West Africa is being forced to take charge of its economic future through industrialization, intraregional trade infrastructure development, and strategic international trade expansion as international aid wanes and trade alliances change. Stakeholders from all around the region will come together in Lagos from October 21–23 for the West Africa Industrialization, Manufacturing & Trade (West Africa – IMT) Summit & Exhibition 2025 in order to solve these issues.
A move away from reliance and toward intentional domestic value creation is indicated by Ghana’s recent government procurement directive that prioritizes locally made goods. The country’s anticipated 32% growth in cocoa production coincides with this strategy, positioning Ghana as a potential hub for processed goods manufacturing as well as a commodities producer. Ghana is coordinating infrastructure and policy to support long-term industrial capacity, with new industrial parks providing incentives to logistics operators and manufacturers.
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Senegal is also exhibiting a production-oriented strategy that is yielding observable outcomes. The manufacturing of textiles, food processing, and poultry has seen the biggest increases in industrial output, which has increased by more than 19% annually. Policy is becoming a reality thanks to government-backed assistance, such as subsidies for regional producers and the extension of electricity grid capacity to industrial areas. Improvements in trade flow brought about by strategic agreements with nearby nations demonstrate the quantifiable effects of this alignment. The West Africa-IMT Summit and Exhibition is intended to promote deeper regional collaboration, which is made possible by these nation-led changes.
The policy trajectories of both nations highlight a larger pattern: a new West African aspiration based on realistic reform and sustained competitiveness. Senegal is strengthening its position as a logistics and industrial gateway with significant investments in port infrastructure in Dakar and a wave of mid-sized manufacturing startups spreading across urban hubs, while Ghana is actively pursuing export diversification under the AfCFTA, focusing on processed foods, pharmaceuticals, and consumer goods—sectoral areas built on its strong agricultural and mineral base.
Wemimo Oyelana, Country Director, Nigeria & Portfolio Director, Energy for dmg Nigeria events, spoke about the policies and emphasized that “what we are seeing across West Africa is a series of concrete steps toward building the ecosystem required for industries to thrive in a world moving rapidly toward locally rooted production and trade-driven partnerships.” The area is starting to align potential with performance and ambition with structure. Now, however, that momentum needs to be strengthened via investment, infrastructure, and careful implementation. In order to scale genuine, long-lasting change throughout the region, the West Africa IMT Summit aims to bridge the gaps between policy, capital, and capacity in addition to highlighting success stories.
Through sector-focused discussions covering manufacturing incentives, energy access, logistics optimization, and regional trade frameworks, the three-day summit will bring together investors, industrialists, policymakers, and trade experts.
