AfDB Approves $76.4m to Upgrade Strategic Roads Under Somalia Corridor Project

The Road Infrastructure Programme seeks to enhance transport connectivity within Somalia and strengthen cross-border links with neighbouring countries.

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group has approved additional financing of $76.37 million for the Road Infrastructure Programme in Somalia, a flagship initiative under the Horn of Africa transport corridor linking Somalia, Djibouti, and Ethiopia. The programme is a critical pillar of regional integration efforts aimed at improving connectivity, boosting trade, and addressing the structural drivers of fragility in the Horn of Africa.

The new financing package combines $49.16 million from the African Development Fund (ADF), the Bank Group’s concessional lending window, and $27.21 million from the Transition Support Facility (TSF), which provides targeted support to countries affected by fragility, conflict, and institutional weakness. This blended financing reflects the complex development and security context in Somalia, while ensuring sustained investment in transformative infrastructure.

The Road Infrastructure Programme seeks to enhance transport connectivity within Somalia and strengthen cross-border links with neighbouring countries. By improving road quality and reliability, the programme is expected to reduce travel times and transport costs, facilitate the movement of goods and people, and unlock trade opportunities across borders. In doing so, it will contribute to economic recovery, regional integration, and long-term stability.

According to the African Development Bank Group’s Director of Infrastructure and Urban Development, Mike Salawou, the request for additional financing follows a significant expansion of the project’s scope. What initially began as limited road rehabilitation has evolved into full road upgrades, supported by improved technical designs and the incorporation of new components. These include bridges, additional road sections, trade facilitation measures, and social infrastructure aimed at maximising benefits for surrounding communities.

The additional financing will focus primarily on upgrading two strategic road sections. These include a 15-kilometre stretch linking Zeila to Asha Addo in Somaliland, which is vital for cross-border movement and access to ports, and a 22-kilometre section connecting Beled Weyne to Kalabeyr in Hirshabelle State, an area with strong agricultural and trade potential. Upgrading these corridors will improve safety, resilience, and year-round accessibility, particularly during the rainy season.

Beyond road construction, the programme integrates community development and resilience-building initiatives to ensure inclusive and locally anchored benefits. Planned interventions include the construction of boreholes to improve access to clean water, the refurbishment of classrooms that will double as skills development centres, the building of markets and storage facilities to support local commerce, and the rehabilitation of health centres to strengthen basic service delivery.

The programme also places strong emphasis on trade facilitation and institutional strengthening. It will support small-scale traders by improving border processes and access to markets, while enhancing the capacity of customs and trade management institutions. Key measures include the establishment of a simplified trade regime between Somalia and Ethiopia to benefit informal and small traders, as well as the expansion of Somalia’s automated customs system to modernise procedures, reduce delays, and improve revenue collection.

Through its integrated approach—combining transport infrastructure, social services, and trade facilitation—the Road Infrastructure Programme is expected to stimulate economic activity, create jobs, improve livelihoods, and strengthen resilience in fragile communities. The additional AfDB financing reinforces the Bank Group’s commitment to supporting Somalia’s recovery and to advancing regional connectivity and cooperation across the Horn of Africa.