Top 10 Largest Infrastructure Projects in East Africa

Lake Turkana Wind Power Project

Top 10 Largest Infrastructure Projects in East Africa

According to a recent report by Deloitte dubbed Africa Construction Trends 2016, Kenya with 11 projects, has the greatest number of large infrastructure projects in East Africa, accounting for about 25.6% of the total. Kenya is closely followed by Ethiopia and Uganda, each with nine projects, and then Tanzania with eight projects.

In East Africa, transport sector took the biggest chunk of the projects, with 15 Road & Bridge projects while Energy & Power projects make up just over a quarter of all projects, and account for over US$10.7bn of investments.

Region wise, West Africa had the most number of projects with 92 projects and also the most in terms of value at US$120 Billion. However, South Africa was the single country with the largest number of projects (41) followed by Nigeria (38).

From the report, governments own majority of the projects (86%), while only 2.3% are owned by Private Domestic companies. The remainder (11.6%) are owned by German and British companies. China is also the most visible builder, constructing 41.9% of all projects.

Top 10 Largest Projects in East Africa 2016/2017 By Cost (USD)

Ethiopia’s 6,000-megawatt, Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is ranked as the largest infrastructure project in East Africa (USD 4.1Bn), followed by Kenya’s recently unveiled Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) which cost USD 3.8 Billion.

Uganda’s 600 MW Karuma Hydropower Plant which is estimated to cost USD $2.2 Billion is in third place and is expected to be commissioned in 2018. 

In fourth place was Kenya’s 5,000-acre Tatu City project being developed by Rendeavour, Africa’s largest urban land developer. The mixed-use development includes homes, schools, offices, a shopping district, medical clinics, nature areas, a sport & entertainment complex and manufacturing area.

The Lake Turkana Wind Power Project in Kenya was ranked position nine. It is the single largest private sector investment in Kenya’s history covering 40,000 acres (162km²) and will cost USD 0.9 Billion. (Sh 70 Billion)

Its also the largest wind farm project in Africa with an output of 300 MW comprising of 365 turbines, a 33 kV electrical collector network and a 428 km transmission line from Lake Turkana to Susua sub-station.

The report includes 286 construction projects in Africa worth US$324 Billion and had broken ground by 1 June 2016 and are valued at US$50m or above.