The conservation and restoration of West Africa’s remaining tropical forests are crucial to maintain the region’s biological heritage for future generations, meet global carbon emissions reduction targets, and ultimately, reduce the extent and effects of climate change. While measurable progress has been made to reverse past trends, efforts have been hampered by constraints including limited intra-regional coordination and inadequate information and awareness at the general public and policy-maker levels. These challenges, among others, have hamstrung the scale and pace of action required to effectively address the threats to West Africa’s forests, biodiversity and economies.