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

  • El Sillar – Bolivia’s challenging road project
    February 6, 2020
    Construction of Bolivia’s El Sillar highway, the country’s most complicated road project – Mauro Nogarin reports
  • Colombia’s infrastructure development
    December 2, 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
  • South Eastern Nigeria road project underway
    May 28, 2019
    Construction work on an important road link is underway in South Eastern Nigeria. The US$333 million road link will connect Bodo with Bonny Island. The 35.7km road includes the construction of a new bridge. The work is being carried out by contractor Julius Berger and commenced in 2017, with completion due in 2022. The project faces technical challenges as 7km of the route runs through marshy ground. There have also been issues between residents in the area and the contractor. When complete, the new road w
  • STRABAG wins Uganda road contract
    February 13, 2020
    Contractor STRABAG is to rebuild a section of road in Uganda.