The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has approved $76.37 million in additional financing to advance a major road infrastructure programme in Somalia, aimed at improving transport connectivity within the country and across the Horn of Africa.
The funding supports the Road Infrastructure Programme, a key component of the regional corridor linking Somalia, Djibouti, and Ethiopia. According to AfDB, the package includes $49.16 million from the African Development Fund and $27.21 million from the Transition Support Facility, which assists countries affected by fragility and conflict.
The programme seeks to strengthen regional integration, stimulate cross-border trade, and reduce fragility by upgrading critical transport links. AfDB’s Director of Infrastructure and Urban Development, Mike Salawou, said the additional financing reflects an expansion of the project’s scope, moving from limited interventions to full road upgrades, including bridges, additional road sections, and trade facilitation measures.
The financing will be used to upgrade two strategic road segments: a 15-kilometre stretch linking Zeila to Asha Addo in Somaliland, and a 22-kilometre section from Beled Weyne to Kalabeyr in Hirshabelle State.
Beyond road construction, the programme includes community development initiatives such as boreholes, refurbished classrooms for skills training, markets, storage facilities, and rehabilitated health centres. It also aims to boost economic activity by supporting small traders, simplifying cross-border trade between Somalia and Ethiopia, and modernising customs systems.
AfDB said the project underscores its commitment to improving infrastructure, resilience, and economic integration across the Horn of Africa.
