African countries rely heavily on road infrastructure to connect their regions and facilitate trade and movement of peopleSouth Africa has the longest and most expensive road network in Africa at 750,000km and is ranked 11th globallyKenya’s road network is the largest in East Africa and the third longest in Africa (161,452km) and is ranked 32nd worldwide
TUKO.co.ke journalist Japhet Ruto brings over eight years of experience in financial, business, and technology reporting, offering deep insights into Kenyan and global economic trends.
Roads are classified as the “nerves” of an economy. They are the backbone of a nation’s infrastructure, facilitating the flow of people, goods, and services.
An aerial view of the Nairobi Expressway. Photo: Tony Karumba.
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Besides being physical routes, roads are essential economic conduits that promote growth, progress, and wealth.
They facilitate the movement of people to their places of employment, manufacturers to markets, students to schools, and the sick to hospitals.
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Like other continents, African countries rely heavily on road infrastructure to connect their regions and facilitate trade.
Which African countries have the most extended road networks?1. South Africa
According to Global Firepower, South Africa has the longest and most expensive road network in Africa.
The country boasts a road network of 750,000km and ranks 11th globally.
South Africa’s Ministry of Transport revealed the National Roads Agency Limited is in charge of approximately 21,403 kilometres, of which 16% are tolled.
Provinces manage approximately 47,348 km of paved and 157,482 km of unpaved roads, while municipalities manage 90,701 km of paved and 201,506 km of unpaved roads.
2. Nigeria
Nigeria has the second-largest road network in Africa (195,000km).
The country’s Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission revealed only 60,000km of the roads were paved.
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“Nigeria has a road network of about 195,000 km, of which about 32,000 km are federal roads and 31,000km are state roads.Out of this, only about 60,000km are paved. Of the paved roads, a large proportion is in very poor unacceptable condition due to insufficient investment and lack of adequate maintenance,” it stated.3. Kenya
The Kenya Roads Board classifies the country’s road network into two categories: national trunk roads and county roads, as provided for in the 2010 Constitution.
According to Business Insider Africa, Kenya’s road network is the largest in East Africa and the third longest in Africa (161,452km).
It’s ranked 32nd worldwide by Global Firepower.
4. Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
Democratic Republic of Congo is ranked 34th globally and fourth in Africa regarding its road network.
The DRC boasts a road network of 152,373km.
Logistics Cluster revealed that the road network consists of 58,358 km of national roads, 86,615 km of rural roads, and 7,400 km of urban roads.
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According to estimates, just 5% of the 58,000 km of the national highways are sealed.
5. Tanzania
Tanzania has Africa’s fifth longest road network (145,203km) and is ranked 35th globally.
District roads (collector, feeder, and urban roads) comprise 144,429km, while national roads (trunk & regional) comprise 36,760km.
The Dar es Salaam-Morogoro-Iringa-Makambako-Mbeya-Tunduma is the longest trunk road at 924km.
Which African countries have the best quality roads?
An International Monetary Fund (IMF) assessment of mean speed and road quality showed the African countries with the best road infrastructure.
The mean speed score showed a strong correlation with the WEF’s quality of road infrastructure score and the World Bank’s Rural Access Index.
The top countries with the best mean score on the continent were South Africa, Namibia, Morocco, and Botswana.
How much will Kenya spend on major highways?
Back home, President William Ruto’s government intends to spend KSh 394 billion over the next five years on highway construction, repair, and improvement.
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This comes in the wake of tight financial constraints, which have seen the National Treasury reduce the overall budget for roads in recent allocations.
The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) said in its 2023-2027 five-year strategic plan that a significant portion of this funding – KSh 192.5 billion, would go toward improving important highways, including the dualling of the Rironi-Nakuru-Mau Summit.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
Source link : https://www.tuko.co.ke/business-economy/555594-list-african-countries-longest-road-networks/
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Publish date : 2024-07-18 05:31:34
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