West Africa Targets $100m Industrial Projects as IMT Summit Opens

West Africa is pressing ahead with bold industrialisation ambitions as leaders from government, industry, and investment, including Nigeria’s Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Norfund, Siemens Energy, GE Vernova, Dorman Long, and Matta, prepare to convene at the West Africa Industrialisation, Manufacturing & Trade (IMT) Summit & Exhibition in Lagos from October 21–23, 2025.

The region presents vast untapped opportunities for a sustainable industrial revolution, from leveraging abundant raw materials for value-added production to unlocking trade opportunities under the AfCFTA. But challenges such as poor infrastructure, weak power supply, and limited access to finance, and skills gaps still threaten growth.

Policy interventions and investments across the region underscore the urgency. Nigeria has imposed a six-month ban on raw shea nut exports to boost local processing and job creation. Ghana is drafting its first Agribusiness Policy to drive industrialisation and food security. In Senegal, a $100 million prefabrication factory in Diass is projected to create 4,000 jobs and strengthen supply chains.

The Summit, billed as a defining forum for regional growth, will feature high-level discussions, investment roundtables, and sector dialogues on MSME expansion, skills development, and equipment financing, and shifting exports from raw materials to finished goods.

Country Director – Nigeria & Portfolio Director – Energy for dmg Nigeria events, Wemimo Oyelana, said the gathering would bring together leaders shaping transformation in policy, finance, and enterprise, with delegates expected to forge meaningful partnerships that can accelerate West Africa’s industrial future.

Among confirmed speakers are H.E. Sen. John Owan Enoh, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Industry, Dr. Timi Austen-Peters, Chairman, Dorman Long, Mudiaga Mowoe, CEO of Matta, George Onafowokan, MD/CEO of Coleman Wires and Cables, and Seun Suleiman, MD of Siemens Energy, alongside regional and international investors.