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 Round Table on Rice Investment in West Africa concluded on 3 June 2026 in Accra, Ghana, after two days of discussions. Bringing together international financial institutions, development partners, private investors, agribusiness 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 regional rice sector. The discussions were held within the framework of the Regional Rice Roadmap 2025–2035, which aims to achieve self-sufficiency by 2035.
“We have secured 25 billion dollars over a given period. We are getting closer to the target amount we set ourselves and to the level of investment we wish to achieve.”
Boladale Adebowale, Executive Secretary of the ECOWAS Observatory – Nigeria
Panel discussions, technical sessions and B2B meetings enabled project promoters to present opportunities across the entire value chain: production, irrigation, mechanisation, storage, processing and marketing. Participants also reviewed the 15 National Rice Investment Action Plans (PANIR), designed to strengthen 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 this cereal accounts for nearly 40% of the sub-region’s total cereal consumption.
“The significant 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 seen public and private sector stakeholders, governments and investors working directly together on projects.”
Guangzhe Chen, Vice President for Planet, World Bank Group – China
The meeting above all 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 needed to modernise the sector and reduce dependence on imports. For ECOWAS and its partners, Accra now marks the transition from planning to action, with the ambition of making rice a driver of food security, employment and economic growth across West Africa.
