This brief aims to draw the attention of leaders and policy-makers in West African coastal countries and regional institutions to the importance of mainstreaming climate change adaptation (responses to actual or expected climate and its effects to reduce harm or take advantage of opportunities) into coastal development planning. It highlights short- and long-term benefits of mainstreaming and provides recommendations for taking advantage of the National Adaptation Planning (NAP) process to mainstream adaptation effectively. Technical-level actors from coastal countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), including national focal points for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), participated in a workshop to discuss these issues. This brief communicates workshop conclusions and recommendations in a focused and actionable format to leadership. Although the policy recommendations are based on the opportunity of the NAP in the context of the West African coastal zone, they may also be relevant for coastal countries in other regions.