Research Paper: Bouraima, M. B., & Qiu, Y. West Africa’s “Railway Patchwork” and the challenges of its integration. In Africa’s Railway Renaissance (pp. 137-161). Routledge.

 

WHAT THIS PAPER IS ABOUT

  • West Africa’s railway infrastructure is being upgraded to address mobility challenges caused by population growth.
  • Limited economic resources and political coordination among West African governments have led to external actors, especially Chinese firms, driving, financing, and managing new rail projects.
  • The chapter provides a historical overview of railway developments in West Africa, characterized by competition and fragmentation.
  • The current state and operational performance of West Africa’s railway infrastructure are examined.
  • Chinese involvement in the Abuja-Kaduna rail line in Nigeria is discussed, including financing, implementation type, and actors involved.
  • The impact of Chinese investment on standards, technical specifications, and regional interoperability is analyzed.
  • The chapter concludes that achieving an integrated regional railway system capable of rivaling road transportation is still a distant reality in West Africa.

 

 

READ MORE ABOUT AFRICA’S RAILWAY RENAISSANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY