The World Bank has approved a US$240 million financing package aimed at tackling one of West Africa’s most urgent but often overlooked crises, coastal erosion and climate-driven flooding, while simultaneously unlocking new economic opportunities tied to the region’s vast ocean resources.
The funding, which will support Benin and Mauritania, marks the first phase of the West Africa Coastal Areas Blue Economy and Resilience Programme, widely known as WACA+. The initiative reflects a growing recognition that climate resilience and economic development must go hand in hand, particularly in regions where livelihoods are deeply tied to the coast.
Across West Africa, coastal zones are economic lifelines. They host major cities, ports, fisheries, and tourism hubs, contributing significantly to national output and employment. Yet these same areas are increasingly under threat. Rising sea levels, intensified by climate change, alongside decades of environmental degradation, have accelerated shoreline erosion, destroyed ecosystems, and exposed millions of people to flooding risks.
The consequences are already visible. Communities are losing homes, fishing grounds are shrinking, and critical infrastructure is being damaged or washed away. Previous estimates suggest that coastal degradation costs West African economies billions of dollars annually, making intervention not just necessary, but urgent.
The new funding is designed to address these risks at both environmental and economic levels. In Benin, efforts will focus on stabilising the Bouche du Roy estuary and the mouth of the Mono River—strategic zones that support tourism, agriculture, and transport. In Mauritania, the programme will reinforce the dune system protecting the capital, Nouakchott, a city particularly vulnerable to storm surges and rising waters.
Beyond physical infrastructure, the initiative places strong emphasis on restoring natural ecosystems. Up to 3,000 hectares of mangroves and coastal wetlands will be rehabilitated. These ecosystems are not just environmental assets—they act as natural barriers against flooding, support biodiversity, and provide breeding grounds for fish, directly sustaining local economies.
According to Chakib Jenane, the programme is targeted at communities already experiencing the frontline impacts of climate change. More than 500,000 people are expected to benefit from reduced exposure to erosion and flooding as a result of these interventions.
But what makes WACA+ stand out is its dual focus. This is not just a climate adaptation project—it is also an economic strategy. The programme is structured to stimulate job creation and private sector growth within what is increasingly referred to as the “blue economy.” This includes industries such as fisheries, aquaculture, ecotourism, and maritime services, all of which depend on healthy and resilient coastal environments.
The first phase alone is expected to generate approximately 13,000 jobs, with broader projections indicating that more than 31,000 people will receive training and business development support by 2031. These figures highlight a deliberate shift toward inclusive growth, where climate resilience efforts also translate into tangible economic benefits for local populations.
Access to finance, a long-standing barrier for small and medium-sized enterprises in coastal regions, is also being addressed. In Mauritania, the programme includes a partial credit guarantee mechanism aimed at unlocking up to $20 million in new lending for fish-processing businesses. This move is expected to catalyse investment in value-added activities, helping local industries move beyond subsistence-level operations toward scalable, income-generating enterprises.
The WACA+ initiative builds on earlier regional efforts launched in 2018, which focused primarily on managing coastal erosion through infrastructure such as seawalls and beach nourishment. While those interventions helped stabilise vulnerable areas, the new phase expands the scope significantly by integrating economic development into the resilience framework.
This evolution reflects a broader shift in how development institutions approach climate challenges in Africa. Rather than treating environmental protection as a standalone objective, there is increasing emphasis on linking it to job creation, private investment, and long-term economic transformation.
Looking ahead, the World Bank plans to extend the programme to additional countries across the region. Future phases are expected to support more than 50,000 jobs while strengthening resilience for hundreds of thousands more people living along West Africa’s coastlines.
The stakes are high. As climate pressures intensify, the cost of inaction will only grow. But with targeted investment, strategic planning, and regional cooperation, West Africa has an opportunity not just to defend its coastlines, but to redefine them as engines of sustainable growth.
This latest commitment signals that the conversation is shifting—from crisis response to opportunity creation—and that the blue economy could play a central role in shaping the region’s economic future.