As Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, united under the banner of the Alliance of Sahel States (ESA), aspire to greater sovereignty, a strategic question arises: how to supply these landlocked countries in a context of rupture with the traditional ECOWAS circuits? Added to this complex geopolitical equation is a logistical competition: Dakar, Lomé, Tema or even the Moroccan ports via the Atlantic Corridor, each seeks to become the gateway to the Sahel.

Since their withdrawal from ECOWAS in 2024, the AES (Alliance of Sahel States) seeks to redefine its trade channels. These three countries, without sea access, depend on neighboring ports for the majority of their imports: fuel, cereals, medicines or industrial equipment. On average, 80% of the Sahel's needs pass through coastal infrastructure, with a logistical cost that can reach 40% of the value of imported goods.

Historically, Mali has used the port of Dakar, which provides 70% of its imports. Burkina Faso and Niger are turning more towards Lomé and Tema, but often at a higher cost. The break with ECOWAS has forced the ESA to explore new logistics corridors, thus redrawing the commercial geography of West Africa.

Le port of Dakar remains Mali's long-standing partner. Just 1.200 km from Bamako, it transported 700.000 tonnes of goods to the country in 2024. Senegal has strengthened this cooperation by inaugurating a dedicated freight station in Burkina Faso and launching a major modernization program, with the support of the operator DP World.

Behind this geographical proximity also lies an active diplomacy. The Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has made numerous visits to the capitals of the AES to demonstrate a desire for partnership. However, dependence on the port of Dakar also presents risks: saturated infrastructure, political vulnerability and costs still sensitive to regional hazards.

Less publicized, the port of Lomé in Togo stands out for its efficiency. In 2024, it processed 450.000 tonnes of goods destined for Burkina Faso and Niger, with processing times among the shortest in the region (24 hours on average). Thanks to balanced diplomacy and modern infrastructure, Lomé is increasingly attracting Sahelian freight forwarders.

However, the security of the roads connecting Lomé to Sahelian capitals remains a challenge. Northern Burkina Faso, in particular, has seen an increase in armed attacks, impacting the reliability of the corridor.

Le Port of Tema in Ghana is banking on its recent infrastructure, notably the MPS III terminal, to capture a growing share of the Sahelian market. With lead times reduced to 20 hours and efficient logistics governance, Tema is positioning itself as a hub of the future. But the lack of experience in transit to the Sahel and the need for heavy infrastructure investments still limit its impact.

More than 3.000 km from the capitals of the Sahel, Morocco is advancing a bold vision. The Atlantic Corridor, launched in 2023, aims to connect Moroccan ports through Mauritania to the heart of the Sahel. The project, supported by international donors, combines roads, ports, and free zones to attract Sahelian trade.

But distance, regional insecurity, and the Western Sahara issue are currently holding back this ambition. Logistics costs there are the highest. (around 300 dollars per ton for Niamey), even if Morocco is counting on a gradual decline thanks to economies of scale.

Faced with these options, the AES seems obliged to favor a diversification strategy. Relying on several corridors—Dakar for Mali, Lomé for Burkina Faso, Tema for Niger—could limit the risks. In the long term, the development of dry ports in Sahelian capitals, connected by rail and road, would allow for better centralization of flows.

At the same time, investment in digital tracking technologies, inspired by the East African model, could reduce losses and delays, while securing convoys. Behind logistics, political independence is also at stake. The choice of a port, or combination of ports, will shape the ESA's relationship with its neighbors, partners, and foreign powers. The Sahel's economic sovereignty will depend on its ability to build secure, efficient, and balanced corridors.

In this race for ports, West Africa is redrawing its strategic map. The Sahel, long considered peripheral, could well become the center of a new regional chessboard.

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