Road Projects in East Africa: $50 billion in active investment projects
From Kenya’s new expressways to Uganda’s modern highways and Tanzania’s cross-lake bridge projects, the region is experiencing a road construction boom that is transforming trade, tourism, and connectivity. Road networks are not only shaping the physical landscape but also strengthening the economic backbone of the East African Community (EAC). According to the African Development Bank (2023), improved transport corridors could reduce logistics costs by up to 30%, unlocking unprecedented growth.
Let’s explore three powerful trends redefining East Africa’s Road infrastructure sector:
- Mega-corridors boosting regional trade
- East Africa’s flagship projects are designed to link markets, ports, and borders more efficiently
- Kenya’s Mombasa–Nairobi Expressway will cut travel time from over 8 hours to about 4 (Kenya National Highways Authority, 2024).
- The Kisumu–Busia/Kakira–Malaba Expressway will connect Kenya and Uganda, strengthening Northern Corridor trade (African Development Bank, 2023).
- Tanzania’s Kigongo–Busisi Bridge—the longest in East Africa—has slashed ferry crossing times from 45 minutes to less than 5 (Tanzania Roads Agency, 2025).
These mega-corridors are the arteries pumping economic life into the region, linking landlocked countries to global markets.
- Public–Private Partnerships paving the way
- Funding large-scale infrastructure is a challenge, and Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) have emerged as a solution.
- The Kampala–Jinja Expressway in Uganda is being developed under a PPP model, with tolling ensuring sustainable maintenance (Uganda National Roads Authority, 2024).
- Kenya’s road annuity program has attracted foreign investors by guaranteeing returns while maintaining high construction standards (World Bank, 2023).
- These models reduce the financial strain on governments while bringing in technical expertise from global engineering firms.
- Sustainability and climate resilience in road design
- With climate change intensifying floods and extreme weather, East Africa is adopting resilient road designs.
- New drainage systems, elevated causeways, and eco-friendly materials are now part of standard specifications (United Nations Environment Programme, 2023).
- The Kigongo–Busisi Bridge project integrated environmental safeguards to protect Lake Victoria’s ecosystem while ensuring durability (Tanzania Roads Agency, 2025).
- This shift means roads remain operational during adverse weather, safeguarding trade and community mobility.
ABIQ’s database tracks all African road projects
East Africa’s Road construction boom is more than a civil engineering success – it’s a strategic investment in economic growth, resilience, and regional integration. As mega-corridors, PPPs, and climate-smart designs take centre stage, the region is positioning itself as a continental logistics hub. Due to several mega projects, Kenya has over USD14bn, about the same amount as the second and third ranking Tanzania and Uganda. In total, ABIQ is currently tracking around 300 road construction projects with a value of around USD50bn in the region.
If you want to track road and other infrastructure projects in real time, ABIQ offers verified project data, funding details, and contractor insights—empowering informed decisions in Africa’s fast-moving infrastructure market.