East Africa remains one of the fastest growing regions in Africa largely boosted by infrastructure development. We look at 10 mega construction projects under construction in East Africa in 2022.
Bagamoyo Mega Port
The Bagamoyo Port is set to be constructed in Bagamoyo, Tanzania. It is planned to be one of the largest government infrastructure projects in the country. The Bagamoyo port and its affiliate industrial zone is meant to address congestion at the old port and support Tanzania to become East Africa’s leading shipping and logistics centre.
The Bagamoyo port project is worth 10 billion dollars (about Sh23 trillion).
Tanzania – Rwanda – Burundi Railway Project
Eraly this year, Tanzania and Burundi reached an agreement to jointly build a 282km-long standard gauge railway (SGR), which will connect the countries. The two nations are seeking financial supporters to execute the project that is expected to cost $900m. The proposed railway line will link the western Tanzanian town of Uvinza with Gitega in Burundi. The project is expected to take off within the 2022/2023 financial year. The project is at the tendering stage.
Dar es Salaam – Mwanza Standard Gauge Railway Line
The project is currently at the third stage running from Makutupora – Tabora.
The project covers the construction of a 368 km long standard gauge railway of which 294 km represents the mainline while 74 km will be constructed as crossroads connections.At the beginning of 2022, Tanzania Railways and Yapi Merkezi signed a contract of USD 1.9 billion for the construction of Makutupora – Tabora rail which is expected to be completed in 46 months including the 10-month trial period.
The standard gauge railway project in Tanzania covers a 1,219 km network linking Dar es Salaam port and the city port of Mwanza in north-western Tanzania and will be implemented into five sections.
Tanzania will invest USD 14 billion for the construction of a standard gauge rail network connecting the main cities, industrial areas and ports and will also provide the connections with Rwanda, Burundi, and Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Stiegler’s Gorge/Rufiji Hydropower Project
The joint venture of THE ARAB CONTRACTORS (Osman Ahmed Osman & Co) and ELSEWEDY ELECTRIC celebrated on the 6th of October 2022 the pouring of the last batch of roller-compacted concrete (RCC) of the main dam of Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project (JNHPP). Construction of the main dam lasted 687 days since the Rufiji River was diverted on the 18th of November 2020.
Completion of the main dam construction triggered a two-month preparation phase for the impounding of Rufiji River’s water behind the dam.
The dam is part of Julius Nyerere Hydropower Station planned to have a capacity of 2,115 megawatts and produce 6,307 GWh per annum. The capacity of the dam’s reservoir is 34 billion cubic meters. The tender for the $3 billion hydroelectric dam were advertised in 2017 receiving over 70 bids.
Awash – Mekele Railway Project
The Awash–Weldiya Railway is a standard gauge railway under construction, that will serve as a northward extension of the new Ethiopian National Railway Network.
The railroad’s primary purpose is to connect the north of Ethiopia with the Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway at the Awash junction and therefore connecting it with the world economy through the Port of Djibouti and also with the southern parts of Ethiopia with its capital, Addis Ababa.
The 392 km Awash–Weldiya Railway clearly is of strategic significance. It connects the whole north of Ethiopia with almost one-third of the Ethiopian population with the Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway and with Ethiopia’s lifeline, the port of Djibouti. Also, several large cities of Amhara Region are directly served by the Railway and the railway will connect Ethiopian industrial centers like Kombolcha with the world.
Liganga Iron and Steel Complex
The project is located at Liganga area, Ludewa District, Njombe Region about 850 km from Dar es Salaam. The project is being implemented as an Integrated project with Mchuchuma Coal Project. It is also being developed and implemented by Tanzania China International Mineral Resources Limited (TCIMRL), which is a Joint Venture Company (JVC) between the Government through NDC (20% non-cash) and Sichuan Hongda Group from China (80%).
Liganga Project entails establishment of an Iron Ore Mine and Steel Plant. The iron ore reserve according to drilling exploration conducted in 2013 at an area (10 km2) is 126 million tons, which can be processed to produce iron and steel, vanadium and titanium products. Planned production capacity is 1.0 million tones annum (t/a) of Steel Products (can be increased to 2 million t/a), 175,400 t/a and 5,000 t/a of Titanium and Vanadium concentrates respectively.
Feasibility and ESIA studies have been completed. ESIA Certificates, License for mining Iron and Water Right for use of Lupali River have been obtained. Strategic Investor Status Certificate and subsequently Performance Contract and its Addendum for Incentive Package were signed between the Government through Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC) and TCIMRL. Total Investment for Iron Ore Mine including the associated infrastructures and Steel Plant is about USD 1.623 billion.
Karuma Hydropower Plant
The Karuma Hydroelectric Power Station is a 600 MW hydropower station in Uganda under construction. When completed, it will be the largest power-generating installation in the country. The power station is located at Karuma Falls on the Victoria Nile, at the former location of the Karuma Falls. This location is approximately 2.5 kilometres upstream of where the Masindi-Gulu Highway crosses the Nile. The project is being carried out by Chinese firm Sinohydro.
Bugesera International Airport Project
Bugesera International Airport is an airport in the Bugesera District of Rwanda under construction since 2017. Bugesera Airport is located in southeastern Rwanda, in Bugesera District, near the town of Rilima.
This location is approximately 25 kilometres by air, and about 40 kilometres (25 mi), by road, south of Kigali International Airport. In 2019, Qatar Airways will took a 60 per cent stake in the airport whose construction is now estimated to cost $1.3 billion up from $825 million, while the government of Rwanda retains 40 per cent.
Sodo (Ethiopia) – Suswa (Kenya) HVDC Project
Sodo–Moyale–Suswa High Voltage Power Line (or Ethiopia–Kenya HVDC Interconnector) is a 500 kV bipolar high-voltage direct current electricity power transmission line, under construction, connecting the Wolayta converter station near Sodo, Ethiopia with the Suswa converter station. The 1,045km ‘electricity highway’ has been completed with the facility expected to go live in one month’s time – enabling Nairobi to venture into power trade business with Addis Ababa.
Koysha Hydropower Dam Project
Koysha hydropower project, located in the southern part of Ethiopia, has a capacity of generating 2, 160 MW of electricity and it is the biggest hydropower project in Ethiopia next to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
As per the ten-year strategic plan of the ministry, Ethiopia needs some 20,000 MW electric power for its national economic development aspired to be realized after 12 years, Eng. Seleshi said.
The ministry has also planned to provide electric services to all parts of the country over the coming five years, he stated.
Hence, the government of Ethiopia is making efforts to complete the construction of the Koysha hydropower project in three years, the minister pointed out.
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