The IPAWAS Journey

Uniting West Africa for Global Investment - From Vision to Reality

A Historic Partnership Born from Shared Vision

The Investment Promotion Agencies of West Africa (IPAWAS) emerged from a collective recognition that West Africa's economic transformation required unprecedented coordination and collaboration among the region's investment promotion agencies.

In September 2024, against the backdrop of The Gambia's inspiring economic growth and Banjul's historic significance as a center of West African cooperation, leaders from across the ECOWAS region gathered for what would become a watershed moment in the region's investment promotion history. This historic meeting validated the IPAWAS statute, formally establishing our organization as the coordinating body for investment promotion across West Africa's 15 dynamic economies.

The journey to this momentous gathering began with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) recognizing that while individual member countries had made significant strides in attracting investment, a coordinated regional approach could amplify their collective impact exponentially. The vision was ambitious yet essential: transform West Africa from 15 individual investment destinations into a unified, integrated economic powerhouse that could compete globally while maintaining the unique advantages of each member nation.

2024
Year of Foundation
15
Member Countries
One
Unified Vision

Our Journey: From Concept to Impact

Key milestones in IPAWAS's transformation of West African investment promotion

Early 2024

ECOWAS Mandate Established

The Economic Community of West African States formally mandated the creation of a coordinated investment promotion framework, recognizing the need for regional collaboration to maximize investment attraction and economic growth across member states.

September 2024

Historic Banjul Meeting

Investment promotion leaders from all 15 ECOWAS member countries converged in Banjul, The Gambia, for the foundational summit that would formally establish IPAWAS. The meeting culminated in the validation of the IPAWAS statute and the election of founding leadership.

October 2024

Organizational Structure Formalized

IPAWAS established its governance structure with Nigeria assuming the presidency and Cape Verde the vice-presidency for the 2024-2026 term. Bakary Séga Bathily of APIX Senegal was appointed as the founding Secretary General.

November 2024

Strategic Partnerships Launched

Initial partnerships established with key international organizations including the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA), African Development Bank, and European Union development programs.

December 2024

Operational Framework Deployed

IPAWAS became fully operational with the launch of coordinated investment promotion activities, joint marketing initiatives, and the establishment of the member collaboration platform.

2025 & Beyond

Regional Transformation Accelerates

IPAWAS continues to drive unprecedented coordination in investment promotion, facilitating cross-border investments, building member capacity, and positioning West Africa as a premier global investment destination.

Our Founding Principles

The core values that guide our mission to transform West African investment promotion

Regional Collaboration Over Competition

We believe that by working together rather than competing against each other, West African nations can achieve far greater investment attraction and economic impact than any single country could accomplish alone.

Shared Prosperity and Development

Investment promotion must benefit all member countries, creating opportunities for cross-border partnerships, knowledge sharing, and mutual growth that lifts the entire region.

Investor-Centric Approach

We put investors at the center of everything we do, providing seamless, coordinated support that makes West Africa the most attractive and accessible investment destination in Africa.

Sustainable and Inclusive Growth

All investment promotion activities must contribute to environmentally sustainable development that creates jobs, builds capacity, and improves quality of life for West African communities.

Moments That Made History

Images from our founding meetings, partnerships, and milestones


Banjul Founding Summit
September 2024

Statute Signing
Ceremony

15 Nations
United Vision

Leadership
Installation

Operational
Launch

Partnership
Agreements

West Africa's Economic Transformation

IPAWAS emerged at a pivotal moment in West African history, as the region experienced unprecedented economic growth and integration.

Over the past decade, West Africa has consistently outperformed global economic growth rates, with several member countries achieving GDP growth exceeding 6% annually. This remarkable performance has been driven by abundant natural resources, a young and dynamic population, increasing political stability, and progressive economic policies.

The ECOWAS integration process has created unprecedented opportunities for regional cooperation, trade facilitation, and joint development initiatives. However, individual countries often found themselves competing for the same investors and projects, leading to inefficiencies and missed opportunities for regional value chain development.

IPAWAS was conceived to harness this momentum and transform competition into collaboration, ensuring that West Africa's economic transformation benefits all member countries while presenting a unified, compelling proposition to global investors seeking high-growth opportunities in emerging markets.

Regional Economic Indicators

400M+
Total Population
$1.8T
Combined GDP
6%+
Average Growth Rate
19
Median Age