African Development Fund approves $59.8 million for Benin-Togo border road rehabilitation

The Board of Directors of the African Development Fund (AfDF) has approved a $59.78 million loan to rehabilitate a key transborder road section linking Benin and Togo, as part of efforts to boost regional trade and economic integration in West Africa, according to a press release by the African Development Bank. The financing was approved on 21 May and will fund the rehabilitation of 78.8 kilometres of road between Kara and Kabou along the Benin-Togo border. The works form part of the first phase of the Transit Roads and Transport Facilitation Project on the CU18 corridor. The initiative is intended to accelerate the opening up of the interior of both countries and boost cross-border trade.

The project is co-financed by the ADF, the concessional lending arm of the African Development Bank Group, the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), and the governments of Togo and Benin. Of the total ADF funding, $50.28 million has been allocated to the Togolese section of the corridor, while the Beninese section will receive $9.5 million. Poor road conditions and high transport costs have long constrained economic activity and mobility in the region. These limitations have disproportionately affected vulnerable populations, particularly women engaged in cross-border commerce and market gardening.

The project includes upgrading the corridor stretching from the Benin border at Ouaké through Kémérida, Soundjina, Kara, Djamdé and Kabou into a 3.5-metre dual carriageway. A six-lane section is planned through the city of Kara. Beyond road works, the project will support the construction and rehabilitation of socio-economic and educational infrastructure. It will also strengthen transport services and logistics along the corridor while introducing measures to reduce trade barriers and improve traffic flow. Capacity-building programmes for project implementing agencies, women’s groups, and youth employment initiatives are also planned.

Road users, particularly women, local producers and residents, are the expected beneficiaries of the project. The corridor is positioned as a strategic link to enhance mobility and trade between the two neighboring countries. Lamin Barrow, Director General for West Africa at the African Development Bank, underscored the broader significance of the initiative.

“This vital corridor will help strengthen economic competitiveness, accelerate the opening up of the inland areas of Benin and Togo, and consolidate sub-regional integration,” he said. His remarks frame the rehabilitation as both a national and regional priority.

The approved financing reinforces the African Development Fund’s role in supporting transport infrastructure across West Africa. By improving connectivity between Benin and Togo, the project is expected to facilitate the movement of goods and people along the CU18 corridor. The combined contributions from the ADF, IsDB, WAEMU, and the two governments reflect a coordinated approach to regional integration. Implementation will also extend to socio-economic infrastructure and capacity-building measures benefiting local communities. The initiative marks a concrete step in advancing trade facilitation and economic opportunity along the Benin-Togo border.