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

  • Better roads through asphalt plant innovation
    August 19, 2014
    In Africa, one of the world’s fastest-growing cities is using the latest asphalt plant technology to boost its road maintenance work; while leading firms are finding their innovative solutions in demand in Europe and the Americas. Guy Woodford reports A new up to 180tonnes/hour Marini UltiMAP 2000 plant is helping Lagos State Public Works in Lagos, Nigeria implement a five-year strategic road map aiming to ensure high standards of road maintenance and improve infrastructural development across the city of m
  • Further development for Morocco infrastructure
    August 26, 2016
    Further infrastructure development is planned for Morocco. The authorities in the town of Salé are planning an urban development programme, with new and wider roads seen as a key portion of the work. Salé lies immediately to the north of Morocco’s capital Rabat and is home to many commuters working in the capital. Improving the transport links in the area will help develop the local economy and the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Finances have set a budget of over US$516 million for the work. T
  • Chinese infrastructure investment
    April 25, 2012
    China's Ji'an city is investing an impressive US$11.88 billion in developing transportation during the 12th Five-Year Plan, while the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is offering a loan worth US$200 million to China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
  • New Zealand’s Waterview project is moving closer to completion
    December 13, 2016
    New Zealand’s biggest road project is less than a year away from completion, and a lot of progress has been made since World Highways last looked at the project two years ago - Mary Searle Bell reports New Zealand’s Waterview project is moving closer to completion and will be the largest road project in the country. The NZ$2 billion Western Ring Route will see the creation of an alternative motorway to State Highway 1, which runs through the centre of Auckland. The 47km-long motorway will allow a large p