• AfDB’s USD 239 million commitment secures completion of the Northern Corridor, removing the Kampala bottleneck and guaranteeing regional connectivity.
• The funding ensures Uganda’s Busega–Mpigi Expressway and Rwanda’s remaining sections advance, protecting the corridor’s competitiveness against Tanzania.
• Faster transit, lower logistics costs, and increased cargo volumes are now expected, marking a decisive step toward integrated East African trade under AfCFTA.

The African Development Bank’s approval of USD 239 million in additional financing marks a decisive turning point for East Africa’s most strategic transport artery. More than a development loan, this commitment removes the final uncertainty about completing the Mombasa–Kampala–Kigali–Goma/Bukavu road network — a corridor that underpins the economic lifelines of Rwanda, Burundi, eastern DRC, and South Sudan.

By securing funding for Uganda’s long-delayed Busega–Mpigi Expressway and the remaining works on Rwanda’s Kagitumba–Kayonza–Rusumo route, the AfDB has effectively unlocked the last structural bottleneck standing in the way of a fully modernised Northern Corridor.

Once these segments are completed between 2029 and 2030, the transformation will be historic: more than 1,900 kilometres of roadway from the port of Mombasa to the eastern DRC border will function as a nearly continuous dual-carriageway. The notorious Kampala bottleneck — a mere 27 km stretch that routinely adds between 90 minutes and three hours to truck journeys — will finally disappear. This achievement shifts the corridor from a long-standing aspiration to a now-certain reality, with material consequences for regional trade, competitiveness, and integration.

The financing package reflects the Bank’s determination to rescue a project burdened by inflation, land compensation disputes, and cost overruns. Converted from euros, the AfDB loan now stands at USD 207 million, complemented by USD 31.2 million from the African Development Fund’s concessional window and USD 1.1 million from the NEPAD-IPPF. The Government of Uganda is contributing USD 34.1 million. The cost of the Ugandan section has more than doubled to USD 467 million, yet the new financing ensures that the project will advance without further existential delays.

A Strategic Corridor Preserved

Beyond construction milestones, the AfDB’s intervention has broader geopolitical implications. The Northern Corridor, though naturally shorter and historically dominant, has in recent years faced stiff competition from Tanzania’s Central Corridor, especially as Dar es Salaam’s SGR advances and trucks bypass Kampala congestion. Studies by the East African Community and TradeMark East Africa suggest that without the Busega–Mpigi upgrade, up to 40 percent of Rwanda–Burundi transit traffic could shift to Tanzania by 2030. The Bank’s commitment, therefore, safeguards not only mobility but also the competitive position of Kenya and Uganda as the primary gateways to the Great Lakes region.

The expected benefits are substantial. Transit time between Mombasa and Kigali, currently 7–10 days, is projected to fall to 5–6 days. Logistics costs, now among the highest globally at 28–35 percent of the value of goods, could drop to 18–22 percent. Uganda’s transit cargo volumes could expand from roughly 1.2 million tonnes to nearly 2 million tonnes annually. More than 1,200 jobs will be created during construction and operations, with a strong emphasis on youth and women.

Challenges remain, particularly in resolving the final land compensation cases around Lubowa and ensuring sustainable toll revenue management to avoid rapid road degradation. Yet these risks no longer threaten the project’s existence. With financing secured, construction assured, and timelines stabilised, the corridor’s completion is now beyond doubt.

By filling the last critical gap on East Africa’s busiest transnational road network, the AfDB has delivered more than infrastructure. It has cemented the physical foundation required for AfCFTA to generate real trade efficiencies, strengthen regional value chains, and accelerate economic convergence. When the first truck covers the Busega–Mpigi stretch in under 45 minutes in 2030, it will signal not only the end of a bottleneck but also the successful endurance of long-term, multilateral development financing against political delays and regional competition.

Cynthia Ebot Takang, Edited by Idriss Linge