In recent years, Africa has seen a surge in mega construction projects that are shaping the continent. CCE NEWS looks at some of the mega construction projects in Africa whose construction cost runs into billions of dollars:
1.Mambila hydroelectric power project (Nigeria)
Mambila hydroelectric power project in Nigeria is one of the mega construction projects in Africa.The 3,050-megawatt Mambila hydroelectric power project in the state of Taraba will be delivered by a consortium of Chinese state-owned construction firms.The megaproject will feature four dams between 50 and 150 meters tall, and take six years to complete. The project will cost $5.8 billion.
2.Konza Technology City (Kenya)
Konza Technology City is also one one of the mega construction projects in Africa.This is a smart city that is coming up in the Eastern part of the country. The City will cost a big but worth it $14.5 billion. According to the city’s website, “Konza will be a sustainable, world-class technology hub and major economic driver for Kenya.
The project is part of the country’s Vision 2030 blueprint. It is expected to generate about 17,000 direct high-value jobs, and a further 68,000 indirect jobs once completed.
3.Inga 3 dam project ( DRC)
Inga 3 dam project in the Democratic Republic of Congo includes a dam and a 4,800MW hydroelectric plant at Inga Falls on the mighty Congo River. The Inga 3 BC hydropower scheme is the first phase in the construction of the Grand Inga hydropower project, located 225 km from Kinshasa, and 150 km upstream of the mouth of the Congo into the Atlantic Ocean. The Grand Inga scheme has been in the cards as far back as the early 1950s.
4.Bagamoyo Port(Tanzania)
Bagamoyo port in Tanzania is set to be the largest port in East and Central Africa. Construction of the port is being carried out through a collaboration of China and Oman. Also to be constructed around Bagamoyo area are over 190 industries, including the manure processing industry that will be put up by the government of Oman. The port is set to cost $10 billion.
5.Standard Gauge Railway Project (Kenya)
The standard Gauge Railway Project in Kenya running from Mombasa to Nairobi was commissioned recently. The second phase from the capital Nairobi to Naivasha has been launched. Construction of the SGR from Mombasa to Nairobi cost Ksh327 billion(USD3.27b) while the construction of the railway line from Nairobi to Naivasha will cost Ksh150 billion(USD1.5b). The railway line is expected to move to Kisumu at a cost of Ksh370 billion(USD3.7b).
6.Huge solar park in Tunisia
4.5GW mega-project planned by TuNur would pipe electricity to Malta, Italy and France using submarine cables. The resulting solar complex would sprawl over an area three times the size of Manhattan, harnessing the power of the Saharan sun with several towers up to 200m tall, according to the Gurdian.
Hundreds of thousands of parabolic mirrors would reflect sunlight onto these towers, heating molten salts within them that would in turn broil water, generating enough steam to power turbines that could electrify 2m European homes.
7.New Administrative Capital (Egypt)
New Administrative Capital also makes it in the list of mega construction projects in Africa.The project is located 40km to the east of Cairo, between roads connecting the metropolis to the canal city of Suez and the Red Sea resort town of Ain Sokhna. The new capital is expected to draw a population of 7 million people in its first phase.
Mooted in March 2015, the new administrative capital is part of Egypt’s plan to expand urban areas to deal with the country’s rapid population growth rate and improve the nation’s infrastructure.
8.Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam(Ethiopia)
The approximately US$4.8bn project has been under construction since 2011. It is in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia, about 15 km (9 mi) east of the border with Sudan. At 6,450 MW, the dam will be the largest hydroelectric power plant in Africa when completed, as well as the 7th largest in the world.
As of August 2017, the work stood at 60% completion.Once completed, the reservoir will take from 5 to 15 years to fill with water.
The project which will occupy 1,600 hectare land between OR Tambo International Airport and Sandton was announced by Shanghai Zendai founder and Chairman Zikhang Dai during an investor briefing hosted by him in the Modderfontein Reserve.
9.Modderfontein New City(South Africa)
The project which will occupy 1,600 hectare land between OR Tambo International Airport and Sandton will cost USD8 billion. The contractor Shanghai Zendai is a Chinese company which operates 3 major businesses; urban development, tourism development and finance.
The city will include nine functional zones, the central business district, international conference and exhibition centre, an entertainment centre, silver industry and retirement industry, international residential community, education and training centre, sports Centre, trade and logistic park and light industry park.
10.Nacala corridor rail and port project(Mozambique)
Nacala corridor rail and port project in Mozambique also features among the mega construction projects in Africa. The Nacala rail and port project will provide a 912 kilometers rail line from the Tete province western in Mozambique to the Nacala port on the eastern coast of the country, through Malawi.
The Project also includes the construction of a deep sea port and associated terminal infrastructure at Nacala. The project is expected to cost USD5 billion.
11.Lekki Deep Seaport(Nigeria)
Lekki Deep Seaport is being developed in the Ibeju-Lekki axis of Lagos State. It is one of the largest infrastructure projects of its kind in Western Africa. It is a venture supported by well-established partners and the Government of Nigeria.
The actual takeoff of the project has over the years faced a myriad of challenges ranging from financial constraints to its viability.
But the government of Nigeria recently put as it completion date to be 2021.The project will is a USD1.2 billion venture.
12.The LAPSSET Corridor Program(Kenya)
The LAPSSET Corridor Program is Eastern Africa’s largest and most ambitious infrastructure project bringing together Kenya, Ethiopia and South Sudan.
This mega project consists of seven key infrastructure projects starting with a new 32 Berth port at Lamu (Kenya); Interregional Highways from Lamu to Isiolo, Isiolo to Juba (South Sudan), Isiolo to Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), and Lamu to Garsen (Kenya), Crude Oil Pipeline from Lamu to Isiolo, Isiolo to Juba; Product Oil Pipeline from Lamu to Isiolo, Isiolo to Addis Ababa; Interregional Standard Gauge Railway lines from Lamu to Isiolo, Isiolo to Juba, Isiolo to Addis Ababa, and Nairobi to Isiolo; 3 International Airports: one each at Lamu, Isiolo, and Lake Turkana; 3 Resort Cities: one each at Lamu, Isiolo and Lake Turkana; and The multipurpose High Grand Falls Dam along the Tana River. Its total cost is approximated to be over USD13b billion.
13.Pinnacle Towers(Kenya)
Spearheaded by two large Dubai-based investors, Hass Petroleum and White Lotus the project is located at Upper hill a fast growing financial hub in Nairobi.
The 900-feet twin Pinnacle Towers will have 70 floors including a 45-floor Hilton Hotel, 20 floors of offices, 200 residential houses, 3-floor basement parking, gaming zone, 3-floor luxury mall, helipad and Africa’s highest viewing deck. Total cost of the project is slated to be US$200 million.
14.Rabat Bouregreg Tower(Morocco)
The project is being spearheaded by China Railway Construction Corporation, Morocco’s BMCE Bank of Africa and Travaux Generaux de Construction de Casablanca-Morocco’s leading construction company.
Standing 250 meters high, with 55 floors, and covering an area of 86,000 m2, the building will be the tallest tower Africa. The tower will adopt of ecological and sustainable design concepts. It will include offices, hotels and luxury apartments, according to the report. The project will cost a whooping US$375 million.
From the above list, we can deduce that 2018 will be a busy year in Africa’s construction industry. However the smooth construction of the mega construction projects in Africa will largely depend on a number of things for example availability of finance and political situation on the continent.