African Development Bank Showcases 69 Infrastructure Projects Worth $160 Billion

At the recently held, 2nd Dakar Financing summit for Africa’s Infrastructure Development, the African Development Bank showcased 69 infrastructure projects worth $160 billion.

The media release notes that, “ The 69 projects fall under the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), a blueprint for infrastructure development to increase Africa’s competitiveness and economic integration. PIDA’s Priority Action Plan 2, was adopted by the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government in 2021.”

The 69 projects, which come from all five of Africa’s regions, are being implemented by regional bodies and unions, including ECOWAS, COMESA and SADC. PIDA is a joint initiative of the African Union Commission, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development Planning and Coordination Agency, and the African Development Bank, which is PIDA’s executing agency.

Projects to look out for include:

1. Beira Port Development -a  multi purpose terminal construction, container terminal expansion, construction of wharf 11a and wharf 11b, including paving an area of more than 20 hectares; and construction of a Fertilizer Terminal and its supporting infrastructure, Rehabilitation and Expansion of the Fuel Terminal. Currently in  S2A – Pre-Feasibility.
2. Construction to standard gauge of the Mombasa – Nairobi – Malaba – Kampala – Kigali line (with Malaba – Nimule – Juba spur) – Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda. Part of the Northern Corridor Integration Project / Standard Gauge Railway Protocol between Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan. The project commences at the port city of Mombasa and covers a distance of 480 km to Nairobi and then 120km to Naivasha. It then proceeds 500km westwards to the Kenya/Uganda border through Kisumu. On the Ugandan side, the project covers the 250km Malaba – Kampala section and the spur from Tororo to Gulu via Soroti. There is an existing road transport corridor alongside the proposed SGR route, whose capacity is overwhelmed by the large volume of mixed traffic that traverses it. The idea is to have High speed trains travelling at 160 kph. Status : S3A – Project Structuring
3. LAPSSET RAILWAY – Construction of a standard gauge railway (2900km) from Lamu Port in Kenya to Juba in South Sudan and Addis Ababa in Ethiopia i.e. Lamu-Garissa-Isiolo and branching into two links, the link to South Sudan (Isiolo-Nginyang-Nakodok-Juba) and link to Ethiopia (Isiolo-Moyale-Addis Ababa). Design speed: (Passenger train) 160 km per hour (Kph), (Freight train) 120 Kph, Gauge: 1,435 mm (Standard Gauge). The railway will provide a link to landlocked countries of South Sudan and Ethiopia to Lamu Port on Kenya’s coast, providing integration and trade opportunities. The railway line will be used for the haulage of heavy goods and oil products, and also to transport non-pipeline products (Bulk Fuel oil, Bitumen and LPG) to demand centres along the corridor, including Ethiopia. The project serves an existing infrastructure asset of another sector, but there is more than 50% overlap in the geography serviced by the proposed project and the other sector existing asset. It is intended to be: An electric powered standard gauge railway. Current status : S2A – Pre-Feasibility
4. Construction of Central Corridor Standard Gauge Rail (SGR) of the Dar es Salaam – Isaka – Mwanza and Isaka – Kigali / Keza – Gitega – Musongati / Tabora – Kigoma/Uvinza – Musongati ‐ Gitega (with extension to Eastern DRC). The objective of the project is to enhance regional integration, reduce transport costs and spur economic growth while improving rail connectivity between Tanzania and Rwanda, Burundi and Democratic Republic of Rwanda thus trade facilitation enhancement. The Uvinza-Musongati

 railway line is also a priority project in Burundi. Both Burundi and Tanzania are cooperating to implement this section. Various sections are being studied independently or as part of other projects. The project will link the port of Dar es Salam to Rwanda, DRC and Burundi: The proposed 902 km railway forms part of the Central Corridor. The Tabora-Kigoma line (411 km) is expected to connect to the Dar es Salaam-Tabora-Isaka SGR, which is currently under construction. The Uvinza- Musongati-Gitega line (280 km) will begin at Uvinza station on the Tabora-Kigoma line and run north to Musongati, ultimately reaching Gitega. The project is part of the Central Corridor Development. The Central Corridor connects the Port of Dar es Salaam to markets in Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and the DRC. Once implemented, the new railway will provide the land-locked countries of Rwanda and Burundi and central Tanzania with a more efficient and low cost transport link to the port of Dar es Salaam via the Central Corridor. The link would also improve connectivity between the EAC and the DRC. The Isaka-Kigali SGR was designed at a maximum speed of 160 km/h for passenger and 120 km/h for freight, with maximum axle load of 35 tonnes per axle and the railway line will be electrified. Project status: S2B – Feasibility.

5. Projet Regional De La Boucle Ferroviaire Abidjan-Ouagadougou-Niamey-Cotonou-Lome. CEDEAO Railway Master Plan – The “Abidjan-Ouagadougou-Niamey-Cotonou-Lomé Railway Loop” with a length of 2,928 km connects the capitals of the five countries involved: Abidjan (Ivory Coast), Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), Niamey (Niger), Cotonou (Benin) and Lomé (Togo). The distance between Abidjan and Ouagadougou is 1,157 km, between Ouagadougou and Niamey is 502 km, between Niamey and Cotonou is 1,101 km and between Cotonou and Lomé is 168 km. These countries have strong socio-economic and cultural ties with a common official language (French) and a common currency, the CFA Franc. Burkina Faso and Niger are landlocked countries whose import-export activities mainly take place through the ports of the sub-region: the port of Abidjan, the port of Cotonou, the port of Lomé and the port of Tema in Ghana.

The proposed railway project is part of a broader effort to find the most economic and efficient ways to de-enclave the Sahel regions, to strengthen and diversify transportation modes. Furthermore, the planned railway line will be a vector that facilitates the exploitation and development of mining, industrial and agricultural production, as well as their evacuation at lower cost. Current status:

S2B – Feasibility

6. Construction of Standard Gauge railway from Mtwara – Mbamba Bay railway with/and spurs to Liganga, and Mchuchuma. The railway section is about 1,000 km running from Mtwara Port at the Indian Ocean to Mbambabay/ (Ameliabay) in Lake Nyasa with Spurs connecting to Mineral fields of Mchuchuma coal and Liganga iron ore mines in the south west of Tanzania. The main objective of the project is to promote sustainable transport along the Mtwara corridor, through the construction of new railway line from Mtwara to Mbambabay with spurs to Mchuchuma coal mine and Liganga Iron Ore mine and ultimately unlock the Southern Tanzania Agricultural and mineral rich areas. It is intended to address the Transport challenges along Mtwara Corridor connecting Southern part of Tanzania with Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique through Lake Nyasa. It is part of Mtwara Development Corridor Initiatives. The railway line will work together with existing ports as well as planned ones so as to serve the southern part of Tanzania as well as the neighboring countries of Zambia,Malawi and Mozambique. Also Comoros, DR Congo and south Africa, can benefit through this project. Technical Specifications of the Project       The envisaged construction of rail is planned to be standard gauge with 120 pounds rails and concrete sleepers with a design speed of 160km/hr for passenger rail and 120km/hr for freight train. Status: S3B – Transaction Support & Financial Close
7. Réhabilitation, modernisation et amélioration des prestations de la ligne de chemin de fer Trans-Maghrébin. Plan Rail 2040 Source in the REC Master Plan – Transmaghrebin Railway Network Brief Description of the Project – The realization of this project includes the following actions: Modernization of the line in Morocco (Fes-Oujda). Rehabilitation of the section between Morocco and Algeria (Morocco-Algerian Transborder Section, Oujda-Akid Abbas). Creation of a new transborder railway section between Algeria and Tunisia (connecting Annaba to Jendouba), modernization between Jendouba and Jedeida. Various technological interventions for the energy and control-command and signaling sub-systems. Objective and Rationale for the Project – This project, which is part of the Maghrebin integration, aims to modernize and rehabilitate the railway between Casablanca, Algiers, and Tunis as the first step, and extend this line to Libya and Mauritania as the second step. Moreover, the improvement of this railway link should allow for better fluidity of traffic, better travel conditions, and more adapted travel times. Once the project is completed, the journey from Casablanca to Tunis will take less than 25 hours instead of 48 hours. Location/Site – Morocco – Algeria – Tunisia Existing or Planned Projects along the proposed project – The project serves an existing infrastructure asset of another sector, but there is more than 50% overlap in the geography serviced by the proposed project and the other sector’s existing asset. Technical Specifications of the Project – Tracings, structures, and tunnels to be built or duplicated. Additionally, all sections will be electrified with the 2×25 kV electrification sub-system, and train management will be carried out with the ERTMS N2 sub-system. Punctual interventions in the signaling and telecommunications sub-systems are also planned. Market Size – UMA countries Project Financial (in USD) – The global cost is estimated at approximately 4 billion dollars. Gender Procurement actions – Facilitate women’s mobility by providing them with a safe, comfortable, and financially accessible means of transport, Bringing families closer together, Provide a good alternative in terms of means of transport, other than by air or road. Last Milestone Known – S2B – Feasibility

You can access the full list of projects here: https://pp2.au-pida.org/approved-projects/