Canada announces C$17 million for seven projects across West Africa

Canada has announced approximately C$17 million in funding for seven projects in Benin and across West Africa, targeting women’s economic empowerment, education, energy, border security and regional police cooperation.

The announcements were made by Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand during her visit to Benin and Côte d’Ivoire from Aug. 4 to Aug. 6, as Ottawa seeks to strengthen its partnerships in West Africa.

The funding package includes C$5 million to support women-led businesses through digital transformation and C$4 million for a project aimed at strengthening the leadership and empowerment of women and girls.

Canada will also provide approximately C$1 million to develop and expand sustainable, inclusive and locally sourced school meal supply systems.

Another C$1.5 million will target gender disparities in West Africa’s energy sector, with the aim of increasing women’s participation and opportunities in a sector considered critical to the region’s economic development.

The package also includes a significant security component.

Canada will provide C$2 million for ordnance risk education and arms and ammunition management in border areas. A further C$500,000 will support regional border governance and security, while C$3 million will be used to advance international police cooperation in West Africa.

Taken together, the security-related commitments amount to C$5.5 million, highlighting the importance Ottawa places on regional cooperation as West African countries face cross-border security challenges and the proliferation of weapons.

The economic and social components of the package focus heavily on women and girls. The C$5 million allocation for women-led businesses is intended to help entrepreneurs benefit from digital transformation, while the C$4 million leadership programme aims to strengthen the ability of women and girls to participate in decision-making and leadership.

The announcement is consistent with Canada’s broader international assistance policy, which places gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls at the centre of its development cooperation.

The visit also marked an effort to deepen Canada’s diplomatic presence in the region. During her trip, Anand inaugurated Canada’s new embassy in Benin and discussed ways to expand bilateral and regional cooperation.

Canada also announced additional financing for infrastructure and climate resilience in Benin, including approximately C$26 million through the Canada-African Development Bank Climate Fund for the modernization of the Port of Cotonou. The broader port project is valued at about C$316 million and includes measures aimed at strengthening its resilience to climate change.

In Côte d’Ivoire, the Canadian government announced a separate package of financing and contributions, including a C$65 million loan through FinDev Canada to NSIA Banque Côte d’Ivoire. The financing is intended to expand access to capital for small and medium-sized enterprises and support climate-related investments.

The series of announcements reflects Canada’s broader approach to engagement in West Africa, combining development assistance with economic cooperation, climate financing and security support.

For countries in the region, the funding could provide additional resources for women entrepreneurs, education and energy-sector inclusion while strengthening cooperation on border management and regional security.

For Ottawa, the initiatives reinforce its effort to build longer-term partnerships in West Africa at a time when governments across the region are seeking greater international support for economic development, security and climate resilience.