Nine months after a regional military coalition formed, five West African states have launched a new regional investment bank with a $3 billion initial capital fund aimed at boosting infrastructure and economic sovereignty. The bank will focus on critical projects across energy, transport, and digital connectivity.
- Five West African nations launched the West African Development and Infrastructure Fund (WADIF) in December 2025.
- The bank has an initial capital of $3 billion, with $600 million from each member state.
- First-phase funding includes $1.2 billion for infrastructure and $900 million for green energy projects.
- Projects include the Mopti Port rehabilitation, Trans-Saharan Railway expansion, and rural solar microgrids.
- Board includes representatives from central banks and defense ministries of member states.
- Regional bond yields tightened by 12–18 basis points after the announcement.
Five West African nations—Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Guinea—have officially launched a regional investment bank following a joint declaration signed in Bamako on December 10, 2025. The institution, named the West African Development and Infrastructure Fund (WADIF), was established as part of a broader strategy to reduce dependency on Western financial institutions and strengthen economic resilience amid ongoing regional instability. The bank’s initial capital of $3 billion is being funded equally among the five member states, with each contributing $600 million. Of this, $1.2 billion will be allocated to infrastructure projects over the next three years, including the rehabilitation of the Mopti Port in Mali, expansion of the Trans-Saharan Railway corridor, and the rollout of high-speed fiber-optic networks across the Sahel region. A further $900 million is earmarked for green energy initiatives, particularly solar microgrids in rural communities. The launch comes amid deepening geopolitical shifts in West Africa, with the African Union and regional bodies like ECOWAS facing declining influence due to the military-led governments' rejection of electoral outcomes in several member states. WADIF’s board will be composed of representatives from each nation’s central bank and defense ministry, reflecting the dual civil-military governance structure of the alliance. Financial markets in Abidjan, Dakar, and Lagos have shown cautious optimism, with regional bond yields tightening by 12–18 basis points in the days following the announcement. Analysts note that while the bank’s long-term viability depends on transparent governance and external credit ratings, its establishment signals a significant reconfiguration of economic power in the region.