• The ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) dedicates 14% of its portfolio, totaling $306.3 million, to water infrastructure.
• EBID's interventions span from rural boreholes with manual pumps to urban treatment plants, impacting thousands of families.
• The bank prioritizes projects aligned with national strategies, aiming to enhance water quality, public health, and local economies.

In a region grappling with unequal water access, the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) allocates approximately 14% of its portfolio to the water sector. These investments from the Development Finance Institution (DFI) transform daily life for thousands of West African families, ranging from village boreholes to urban stations.

In Gbanan, a village in Benin’s Atacora Department, Birni district, children fill yellow jerrycans at dawn. The water flows clearly, and the reassuring scent of chlorine signals a new, functional water tower. Elsewhere, in Côte d'Ivoire’s Guéyo or Guinea’s Fria, boreholes, solar pumps, and expanded networks redefine daily routines. EBID stands at the forefront of this transformation, prioritizing access to potable water as a key impact area.

14% of Portfolio Directed Towards Water

"We finance water access through hydraulic infrastructure development because water is essential for all life. Without water, life cannot exist," explains EBID’s financial analyst overseeing the water sector, who has coordinated several recent projects. The Bank has committed $306.3 million to the water sector, representing 14% of its public portfolio. He describes this as a strategic choice, "aligned with state priorities, project technical maturity, and debt capacity." EBID evaluates projects based on states' financing requests. Recent projects have concentrated in Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Niger, and Senegal.

From Village Boreholes to Treatment Plants

EBID’s intervention spectrum is broad. It includes boreholes equipped with manual or solar pumps, village and urban potable water supply (PWS) systems, network reinforcements, treatment plants, and hydraulic equipment (pumping equipment, drilling workshops, crane trucks). "We go where impact is real, particularly in rural areas," the specialist emphasizes. Côte d'Ivoire exemplifies this strategy. The Bank installed 1,000 solar pumping and treatment units with reservoirs, significantly bolstering the national "Water for All by 2030" program. In Benin, EBID funded 19 rural potable water supply systems (SAEP), serving approximately 200,000 people.

In Guinea, EBID signed two recent loan agreements to supply water to Beyla, Koubia, and Fria, and to build 150 boreholes and 100 water systems in Upper Guinea and Forest Guinea. In Niger, EBID financed extensions of networks in Maradi, Dosso, and Diffa. In Senegal, projects support rural water supply and equipment procurement for the national agency OFOR. In Burkina Faso, 27 systems will provide potable water to 93,000 rural residents.

States, Communities and Private Operators as Beneficiaries

EBID’s projects benefit states and their agencies, local governments, and target populations. Private operators also gain from connections that stimulate local economic activity.

The financial structure often involves partners such as India Exim Bank, KfW IPEX-Bank, and Jebsen & Jessen Industrial Solutions. “Collaboration is crucial because it improves deliverables, speeds up timelines, and secures supply chains,” the analyst said.

Measuring Field Impact

EBID applies measurable indicators to evaluate outcomes, including water quality, hydrology, public health, local economy, and social development. “Each effect is assessed by its scale, duration, frequency, extent, and likelihood, to strengthen sustainability,” the analyst said.

Field results show fewer waterborne diseases, continuous water availability, abandonment of contaminated surface water, and improved hygiene practices.

Structural Pressures and Regional Gaps

The challenge remains significant: nearly 400 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa still lack access to safe water. In ECOWAS, disparities persist. In 2020, only Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Mali, and Senegal had over 80% coverage, while Niger and Burkina Faso recorded just 49% in 2022.

Yet regional progress is evident. Access in West and Central Africa rose from 50% in 2000 to over 74% in 2022.

Structural pressures—including population growth, rapid urbanization, erratic climate, stressed resources, aging networks, institutional instability, and terrorism threats—complicate progress. “The challenge is to match growing needs while ensuring resource sustainability and cost control,” an independent expert told Agence Ecofin. Solar-powered solutions, modular treatment, village micro-networks, and upgraded maintenance are increasingly part of the response.

 M.F. Vahid Codjia