WEST AFRICA

Trade and Investment Hub

In West Africa, a region of more than 360 million people, the immense potential of economies and workforces has been hindered by political instability, roadblocks to investment and weak business networks.

The Feed the Future West Africa Trade and Investment Hub Activity seeks to overcome these obstacles through a market-based approach to catalyze economic growth in the region. The Trade Hub will attract private finance and investment, build links among businesses, and strengthen the agricultural and trade sectors in Nigeria, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and other West African countries.

Nigeria, home to significant market opportunities and nearly half of West Africa’s population, is uniquely positioned to rapidly transform its economy. The Trade Hub will therefore focus on expanding Nigeria’s agricultural sector and increasing both production and profits of smallholder farmers.

This “farms and firms” approach will improve farming practices by utilizing technology to boost production and strengthen the links between producers and markets across several value chains in Nigeria, including maize, rice, soybean, cowpea and aquaculture. As part of Feed the Future, the U.S. Government’s global hunger and food security initiative, the Trade Hub’s activities will seek to make smallholder farmers more food secure and raise household incomes.

Apart from agriculture, the Trade Hub will also strengthen national, regional and international markets for goods including apparel, cashew and cocoa, encourage investment, facilitate trade with the U.S., assist West African and American companies in leveraging the African Growth and Opportunity Act, and create sustainable jobs.

The Trade Hub’s activities will promote inclusive economic growth, creating opportunities for West African women to raise their household incomes, gain new skills and start and grow small businesses. It will also leverage other private entities interested in investing in youth and women to co-create sustainable initiatives for long-term youth and women’s employment. 

Over five years, the Trade Hub will administer $60 million in co-investment funds to attract private-sector investment of $300 million, improve business operations and capacity to tap into export markets and do business with U.S. and international companies. The Trade Hub will increase access to financing and assist businesses to raise their standards for greater exports.

The Trade Hub brings together an experienced consortium of implementers and a broad network of private sector partners. The project is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development and implemented by Creative Associates International. Creative’s partners include Dalberg, Pragma, Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture, Connexus Corp., and Fraym.