Rail Transport in Africa

Description: Rail Transport in Africa.

The transport sector can accelerate and intensify the African trade. In particular, the rail transport, as a result of its energy efficiency, the reduction of the greenhouse gas emissions and the reduction of the tonne-kilometre transport costs, is expected to play an important role in the long-distance transport in Africa.

However, the current situation of the railway infrastructures is very poor in many African countries. This gap has reduced the potential of the African rail systems to play an active role in the economic development.

In fact, the market share of the Rail Transport in most countries of the African continent is less than 20% of the total volume of the freight transport.

With a few exceptions (mainly in South Africa and North Africa), the African railroads are clearly behind those of most other regions of the world.

1. Total railway lines in Africa: 82,000 km.
2. Operational rail lines in Africa: 84% of the total.
3. Total Passengers in Africa: 500 million people.
4. Movement of total freight in Africa: 290 million tons.

Two of the main reasons for this situation are the lack of the investment in Infrastructures in Africa and the absence of an institutional framework that favours its development. The Rail transport is essential for the African Economic development and, unless properly developed, Africa may not reach its potential to exploit its abundant natural resources and wealth.

Key factors:

1. Largest African metropolitan areas (passenger railways)
2. Densely populated areas and African corridors (large volumes of cargo or passengers)
3. Corridors from the African ports to the inland markets (Freight trains that move materials in containers or in large quantities from / to ports over long distances)
4. Mining basins (transport of minerals and other raw materials to the African export ports)

Advantages: Increase in the African interregional trade.

Analysed countries: Botswana, Cameroon, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Senegal, Tanzania and Zambia.

Related information:

1. Economic Area of the African Civilisation
2. Maritime Transport
3. Asia-Africa Growth Corridor

EENI African Portal

Masters and Doctorates in Global Business adapted to:

1. Eastern African Students: Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mauritius, Malawi, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.
2. Western African Students: The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone
3. Central African Students: Cameroon and Rwanda
4. Southern African Students: Botswana, Eswatini (Swaziland), Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
5. Northern African Students: Egypt and Libya