The money is committed to buildings that do not yet exist. That makes this a development story.
Section
Property
TAZARA Reborn: A US$1.4bn Bet on Reviving Africa’s Mao-Era Railway
China built TAZARA in the 1970s as a gift of solidarity, then watched it decay. A US$1.4bn deal now revives the line – this time as a 30-year commercial concession, not a present.
Abuja Light Rail: A Capital’s Metro That Opened, Stalled, Then Reopened
Nigeria’s capital launched the country’s first urban rail in 2018. It then sat largely idle for years before service resumed in 2024.
Addis Ababa Transit: A Metro Built for the Industrial City It Awaited
The light rail’s southern line was routed deliberately toward factory districts. The transit arrived; the industrial boom it anticipated arrived more slowly.
Addis Ababa Light Rail: Africa’s First Metro and the Bill After the Ribbon
Sub-Saharan Africa’s first light rail opened in 2015 to genuine acclaim. Within a decade it needed rescuing from its own decline.
Ethiopia-Djibouti Railway: The Export Line That Trucks Keep Overtaking
A 753-kilometre electric railway was built to carry a landlocked nation’s trade to the sea. Eight years on, much of that trade still goes by road.
Beyond the freight line: Kenya’s commuter rail revival rides in the SGR’s shadow
The SGR was sold on cargo. The harder transport problem – moving Nairobi’s commuters – runs on a separate, older network now being rebuilt with different money toward 100,000 riders a day.
Mombasa-Nairobi SGR: a US$3.6bn corridor reset that still has to pay for itself
The SGR cut Mombasa-to-Kampala cargo time from 18 days to three. It also handed Kenya its largest-ever loan, equal to about 6% of GDP, and a railway that has run at an operating loss.
Roads, Rails and Wires: China’s African Build-Out and the Bill That Follows
China reports nearly 100,000 km of roads and over 10,000 km of railways built across Africa. Kenya’s flagship line shows why the build matters – and why the repayment terms matter as much.