Skip to main content

East Africa’s massive infrastructure development programme

A massive programme of infrastructure development is planned for East Africa that will help develop transport links and boost economic development. The projects will be implemented in Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan and Uganda. Roads and highways will be built and upgraded while new port facilities will be built. Also included in the programme will be an oil pipeline, rail links and fibre-optic cable installation. In all the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor project for East Africa wi
September 23, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
A massive programme of infrastructure development is planned for East Africa that will help develop transport links and boost economic development. The projects will be implemented in Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan and Uganda. Roads and highways will be built and upgraded while new port facilities will be built. Also included in the programme will be an oil pipeline, rail links and fibre-optic cable installation. In all the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor project for East Africa will cost in the region of US$24.7 billion.

The plans also call for the transport corridor to stretch right across the continent, connecting to the West Africa. The transport links would run to the cities of Douala-Lagos-Cotonou-Abidjan Corridor and given Nigeria’s economic strength amongst the West African nations in particular, this would be of enormous economic benefit to Africa as a whole.

The programme has received both regional and international support and was discussed in detail at the 2015 African Union general assembly.

One of the projects involves developing port facilities at Lamu in Kenya, with the work being carried out by the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC). This $479 million project will relieve the strain that Kenya’s port of Mombasa currently faces in that its existing facilities are running close to capacity.

Related Content

  • Italy’s Messina Strait bridge design approved
    February 21, 2024
    The design has been approved for Italy’s Messina Strait bridge mega project.
  • India’s longest road tunnel continues apace with Atlas Copco support
    May 20, 2014
    The challenging construction of India’s largest road tunnel is part of a vital US$500 million project aiming to connect the isolated northern state of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of the vast and highly populated country. Guy Woodford reports Travelling on National Highway 1A (NH 1A) in northern India should be the dictionary definition of ordeal. The single lane, narrow and winding road crosses some of the steepest, most treacherous terrain on the planet. The arduous route becomes especially difficult t
  • Major new highway project for Mali
    December 4, 2015
    A new highway project is being planned that will help boost the economy of Mali. The landlocked country is one of the most impoverished nations in Africa and this new highway will provide a direct link from its capital Bamako to the port of San Pedro in Côte d'Ivoire. Much of the financing for the project is being provided through a loan worth US$ 187.61 million from the African Development Bank. The new highway link will also help develop the port of San Pedro, which is currently the second largest in Côte
  • Colombia’s infrastructure development
    December 5, 2013
    Colombia is benefiting from heavy investment in infrastructure that is helping boost the country’s economy. At the same time, tough policies have also reduced crime considerably and helped stabilise economic development. This process of economic growth and overall stabilisation looks set to continue as the Colombian Government has recently unveiled its plans for highway construction over the next 10 years. This infrastructure programme is also tipped to raise demand for surety products owing to government c