They stand tall with some futuristic, looking to bridge and provide solution to some of the continent’s challenges. These iconic infrastructures provide hope for the continent’s teeming population amid challenging times being faced the world over.
Africa’s infrastructure and energy sectors are experiencing significant growth due to increased demand from the continent’s growing middle class. Sustainable social infrastructure projects are underway all over Africa and are expected to continue expanding to keep up with the continent’s population growth.
Here are fifteen significant initiatives that are currently underway in Africa:
1.) Dangote Oil Refinery – Nigeria
The Dangote oil refinery is on track to be the largest single-train facility in the world and the largest oil refinery in Africa once it is completed in 2022 or 2023. The $19 billion project is a 650,000 barrels per day (BPD) integrated refinery and petrochemical project built in the Lekki Free Zone outside Lagos, Nigeria.
Upon completion, the Dangote refinery is expected to produce 327,000 barrels per day (BPD) of gasoline, 244,000 BPD of diesel, 56,000 BPD of jet fuel/kerosene, and 290,000 metric tons (mt) of propane annually. In the summer of 2021, the Nigerian government gave the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) the green light to make an offer to purchase a 20% stake in the Dangote megaproject.
2.) Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (Ethiopia)
Construction for the US$4.8 billion facility began in 2011 and is located in Ethiopia’s Benishangul-Gumuz Region, just 15 kilometres (9 miles) east of the Sudanese border. When completed, the dam will be the largest hydroelectric power plant in Africa and the seventh largest in the world – talk about impressive! – with a whopping 6,450 MW capacity. As of August 2017, 60% of the work had been completed, but it’ll still be a while until the reservoir is filled with water; experts say it could take anywhere between 5 and 15 years.
The project, which will occupy 1,600 hectares of land between OR Tambo International Airport and Sandton, was announced by Shanghai Zendai founder and Chairman Zikhang Dai during an investor briefing hosted by him in the Modderfontein Reserve.
3.) The LAPSSET Corridor Program (Kenya)
The LAPSSET Corridor Program, connecting Kenya, Ethiopia, and South Sudan, is the biggest and most ambitious infrastructure project in Eastern Africa. This megaproject consists of seven major infrastructure projects, including a new 32-berth port at Lamu (Kenya), interregional highways from Lamu to Isiolo, Isiolo to Juba (South Sudan), Isiolo to Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), and Lamu to Garsen (Kenya), crude oil pipelines from Lamu to Isiolo, Isiolo to Juba, product oil pipelines from Lamu to Isiolo, Isiolo to Addis Ababa, Railway lines from Lamu to Isiolo, Isiolo to Juba, Isiolo to Addis Ababa, and Nairobi to Isiolo; 3 International Airports: one each at Lamu, Isiolo, and Lake Turkana.
Three resort cities in Kenya are Lamu, Isiolo and Lake Turkana. The High Grand Falls Dam, a multipurpose dam, is located along the Tana River. The cost of the project is estimated to be over USD 13 billion.
Egypt is building a brand-new capital city from scratch, and it’s set to be completed soon. The mega-city, which has 25 commercial districts and 21 residential districts, is located 45 kilometres east of Cairo. Once finished, it will contain artificial lakes, a sizable solar farm, and a sizable entertainment area. But it doesn’t end there; the infrastructure of the new capital will also include a theme park four times the size of Disneyland, a technology park, a new airport, 2,000 educational institutions, 1,250 mosques, 663 clinics, hospitals, and over 40,000 hotel rooms.
5.) De Beers Diamond Company – Namdeb & Debswana (Botswana and Namibia)
The diamond company De Beers has agreements with the African nations where their mines are located. For instance, Debswana is a partnership between De Beers and Botswana, and Namdeb is a joint venture between De Beers and the government of Namibia. A new business agreement extending until De Beers and the Namibian government in October 2021 was agreed upon in 2042. The new contract maintains the land-based mines owned by the JV open and running for an extra 20 years. Namdeb’s mines are an essential component of the nation’s economy.
De Beers Corporation predicts that by prolonging the lifespan of Namdeb Mine, an estimated USD 2.71 billion (roughly 40 billion Namibian dollars) will be brought into the nation through taxes, dividends, royalties, and the potential for 600 new jobs and 8 million carats worth of diamonds. The world’s largest underground diamond mine is currently being built in Botswana’s Jwaneng by Debswana Diamond Company at USD 6 billion. By 2034, the megaproject–which will include more than 360 kilometres of tunnels–is expected to be fully operational.
6.) Eskom Power Stations Transition (South Africa)
The South African government has set plans to finance its shift away from coal power by securing USD 8.5 billion ( in grants and loans from the United States, Germany, France, and Britain. This partnership is designed to act as a blueprint for other nations looking to make such a transition in the future.
Eskom CEO André de Ruyter said in a statement that the state-owned power company in South Africa wants to use its share of the multibillion-dollar cash infusion to speed up the progress of its new energy projects. Eskom, South Africa’s state-owned power company, plans to generate all its electricity from renewable sources by 2050. To meet this goal, Eskom will first build solar photovoltaic facilities at its mines, followed by energy storage facilities. These measures will help South Africa meet its emissions reduction targets and achieve net-zero emissions status.
7.) Konza Technology City (Kenya)
Kenya is working hard to create a bright future for its economy by building a USD 14.5 billion technology metropolis called the African Silicon Savanna or Konza Technopolis. This digital hub is designed to attract investors and top technical talent worldwide to boost economic growth. It is located just 64 kilometres from Nairobi’s capital and takes inspiration from California’s world-renowned Silicon Valley.
Kenya’s economic development program for 2030, Vision 2030, has at its centrepiece the construction and development of Konza City. This city will be a hub for software development, business process outsourcing, data centres, disaster recovery facilities, call centres, light manufacturing industries, and research facilities.
8.) Mambila hydroelectric power project (Nigeria)
The Mambila hydroelectric power plant in Nigeria is one of Africa’s most significant building projects. Chinese state-owned construction companies will be responsible for delivering the plant, which will have a capacity of 3,050 megawatts. The project will take six years to complete and include four dams ranging in height from 50 to 150 meters. $5.8 billion will be spent on the project.
9.) Inga 3 dam project ( DRC)
Bagamoyo port in Tanzania is set to be the largest port in East and Central Africa. Construction of the port is being carried out through a partnership between Oman and China. Over 190 industries will also be constructed around the Bagamoyo area, which will include the manure processing industry; the government of Oman will put that up. The port is set to cost $10 billion and is estimated to bring in annual revenue of $15 billion.
10.) Huge solar park (Tunisia)
TuNur is planning a 4.5GW megaproject using submarine cables to send electricity to Malta, Italy, and France. According to the Guardian, the final solar complex would cover an area three times the size of Manhattan and utilize the Saharan sun’s energy through several 200-meter-tall structures.
The sun would shine through hundreds of thousands of parabolic mirrors onto these towers, heating molten salts. This heated water would then be used to create steam, which would drive turbines and generate enough electricity to power 2 million homes.
11.) Lekki Deep Seaport (Nigeria)
The Lekki Deep Seaport is a major infrastructural project currently underway in Lagos State, Nigeria. One of the biggest in West Africa, the seaport, has the backing of the Nigerian government and reputable partners.
However, the project has encountered several difficulties since its inception, including financial limitations and sustainability issues. The Nigerian government recently announced that the seaport will be completed by 2023. The project is expected to cost USD 1.2 billion to complete.
12.) Standard Gauge Railway Project (Kenya)
Recently, Kenya’s standard gauge railway project connecting Mombasa and Nairobi was officially opened. The second phase has begun, running from Nairobi, the nation’s capital, to Naivasha. While the railway line from Nairobi to Naivasha will cost Ksh150 billion (USD1.5 billion), construction of the SGR from Mombasa to Nairobi will cost Ksh327 billion (USD3.27 billion). The estimated cost to move the railway line to Kisumu is Ksh370 billion (USD3.7 billion).
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13.) Modderfontein New City (South Africa)
The project will cost USD8 billion and span 1,60 hectares of land between Sandton and ORTambo International Airport. The Chinese enterprise Shanghai Zendai contractor runs three key industries: urban development, tourism development, and banking.
The city will have nine distinct functional areas, including a central business district, an international conference and exhibition centre, a centre for entertainment, a silver and retirement industry, an international residential community, an education and training centre, a sports centre, a trade and logistic park, and a park for light industry.
14.) Nacala corridor rail and port project (Mozambique)
One of the largest construction projects in Africa is the Nacala corridor rail and port project in Mozambique. The Nacala rail and port project will construct a 912-kilometre rail route from Mozambique’s Tete region in the west to the Nacala port on the country’s eastern coast.A deep sea port and related terminal infrastructure are also being built as part of the Project at Nacala. The estimated cost of the project is USD 5 billion.
15.) Rabat Bouregreg Tower (Morocco)
China Railway Construction Corporation, BMCE Bank of Africa, and Travaux Generaux de Construction de Casablanca are leading the construction of the tallest tower in Africa. The structure will be 250 meters high with 55 floors, occupying an area of 86,000 m2. The tower will use environmentally friendly and sustainable design principles.The tower will comprise offices, hotels, and apartments. The project will cost 375 million US dollars.
