For two days, Accra served as a hub for discussions on the future of rice in West Africa. Policy-makers, private investors and technical partners came together to explore ways of financing a sector that is strategic for regional food security.
The Roundtable on Rice Investment in West Africa concluded on 3 June 2026 in Accra, Ghana, after two days of discussions. Bringing together international financial institutions, donors, private investors, agro-industrial companies, and representatives from the public and private sectors of the fifteen ECOWAS member states, the event marked a major step forward in mobilising financing to transform the region’s rice value chain. The discussions formed part of the Regional Rice Roadmap 2025–2035, which aims to achieve self-sufficiency by 2035.
The Rice Offensive Project aims to improve food security, reduce dependence on imports, create economic opportunities, and strengthen the resilience of the rice value chain.
Omar Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission
Panel discussions, technical sessions, and B2B meetings enabled project promoters to showcase opportunities across the entire value chain, including production, irrigation, mechanisation, storage, processing, and marketing. Participants also reviewed the 15 National Rice Investment Action Plans (PANIR), designed to boost regional production, which remains insufficient to meet demand that is growing by 4% annually. Despite its potential, West Africa still imports more than 12 million tonnes of rice each year, even though the cereal accounts for nearly 40% of total cereal consumption across the sub-region.
The major achievement of this initiative, as outlined by ECOWAS, lies in the investment pathways that have been discussed, the national rice production strategies, and the opportunities identified. Today, we are moving from dialogue to action. We have brought together the public and private sectors, governments, and investors who are now working directly on projects.
Guangzhe Chen, Vice President for Planet, World Bank Group
The meeting primarily strengthened dialogue between public decision-makers and financial stakeholders around projects considered bankable and ready for immediate financing. The objective is to accelerate the investments required to modernise the sector and reduce dependence on imports.
We have secured 25 billion dollars over a given period. We are getting closer to the target amount and the level of investment we aim to achieve.
Boladale Adebowale, Executive Secretary of the ECOWAS Observatory
For ECOWAS and its partners, Accra now represents the transition from planning to action, with the ambition of making rice a driver of food security, employment, and economic growth in West Africa.
