Eric Weng’s Post

Roads in #Africa are not just transport corridors — they are lifelines of trade, trust, and transformation. Let’s rewind a bit. The continent’s first major road developments came not from national planning boards, but from colonial administrations — who, unsurprisingly, built roads mainly to extract resources from the interior to the ports. It wasn’t about connecting people; it was about connecting profits. Post-independence, many nations inherited fragmented networks — strong coastal highways but weak rural connectivity. For decades, road development lagged behind population growth and trade needs. The result? A continent with the fastest-growing population but some of the slowest #logistics. Yet, that’s only half the story. Today, the continent has over 2.8 million kilometers of roads, but less than a quarter are paved. Countries leading in total road length include: South Africa, with over 750,000 km — the most advanced and connected network. #Nigeria, with over 200,000 km, though many rural stretches remain unpaved. #Kenya, #Ethiopia, and #Egypt are fast catching up, driven by new infrastructure programs like Kenya’s Vision 2030 and Ethiopia’s Growth and Transformation Plan. What’s changing the game now? Projects like the Trans-African Highway Network, the Abidjan–Lagos Corridor, and Maputo Development Corridor are redefining connectivity. The goal is to weave Africa’s cities, ports, and borders into one continental web — something the #AfCFTA (African Continental Free Trade Area) desperately needs to function smoothly. The scope of #development remains massive. Africa still needs over $200 billion in road #infrastructure to bridge the transport gap. Only 43% of rural #Africans live within 2 km of an all-season #road (compared to 68% globally). That’s not a statistic — that’s millions of people locked out of markets, healthcare, and education. And the socio-economic impact? Transformational. Every paved road shortens the distance between a farmer and a market, between a child and a school, between a local product and a regional opportunity. Improved road access can lift entire communities out of isolation — increasing #trade, reducing travel time, and enhancing #agricultural productivity. But here’s the satirical twist: We’ve mastered the art of announcing billion-dollar highway projects. It’s the completion part that seems allergic to deadlines. Africa doesn’t just need roads — it needs reliable, maintained, and inclusive roads. The kind that connect not just cities, but futures. Because in a continent as vast as Africa, every kilometer built right is a step closer to shared prosperity. 🔄️ Repost to your network to educate others.