Lagos, Nigeria - Three out of the four teams that have qualified for the semi-finals of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea are from West Africa, making the region dominant at the tournament.

Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana and Mali, all from West Africa, are through to the last four, joined by Zambia, the only team from outside the region (southern Africa).

The implication is that no matter what happens in the semi-finals on Wednesday, at least one West African team will make it to the final stage.

The possibility that the two finalists will come from West Africa is also very high, if the pre-tournament prediction by bookmakers' tipping Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire as co-favourites is anything to go by.

West Africa's dominance of the 2012 finals may not be a total surprise, as the region sent the biggest number of teams to the tournament - at seven (Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Niger and Senegal), followed by southern Africa with three teams (Angola, Botswana and Zambia), same as north Africa (Libya, Tunisia and Morocco).

Central Africa has two representatives in co-hosts Equatorial Guinea and Gabon with Sudan being the lone team from the East-Central zone.

Ghana is eager to win its first title in 30 years, especially as the Black Stars narrowly lost to Egypt in the final of the 2010 edition of the tournament held in Angola.

On its part, Cote d'Ivoire has not won any Nations Cup title since 1992. The Elephants had a chance to lift the Cup in 2006 when they reached the final, but perennial winner Egypt scuttled that chance.

Mali and Zambia have never won the two-yearly African football extravaganza, though both have played in the finals - Mali once in 1972 when it lost to Congo, and Zambia twice - 1974 when it lost to then Zaire and 1994 when it lost to Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the four semi-finalists will have two match-free days - Monday and Tuesday - before returning to action on Wednesday.

Below are the semi-final fixtures:

Zambia Vs Ghana - Bata (Equatorial Guinea)

Mali Vs Cote d'Ivoire - Libreville (Gabon)

Pana 06/02/2012