N41bn AfDB funding for Nigeria- Cameroon highway
Construction the Nigeria-Cameroon standard 400 kilometer paved roads and highway structures has received funding support to the tune of N41 billion ($305million) from the African Development Bank (AfDB). The 400 kilometer paved roads stretch from Bamenda, Cameroon to Enugu, Nigeria, which is part of the Lagos-Mombasa Trans- African Highway, AfDB says. Business Times reckons that the road is a major highway between Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS). It was further gathered that the project financing is under AfDB’s transport facilitation programme for the B a m e n d a - M a m f e - Abakaliki-Enugu corridor and will not only enhance regional trade and cooperation, but also features as one of the most effective confidence- building measures between the two nations (Nigeria and Cameroon). AfDB says “with the new all-weathered road, trade in both manufactured and agricultural products will be boosted between the two countries that have been isolated due to poor transport links.”

The bank focused on value-generating development projects in the African continent further notes that the project area on the Cameroonian side is one of the breadbaskets of the country, with most of its food production sold in nearby markets. Also, it asserts that “Enugu is an important industrial city of Nigeria and Abakaliki (capital of Ebonyi State), the other major town along the corridor, is a reputable commercial centre for agricultural products.” The programme connects communities; increases access to markets; alleviates poverty; reduces time traveled on the road and enables the project affected people to be engaged in more economic activities, analysts maintain, bringing out its social dimension. AfDB reckons in addition that the project gives greater access to education and health centers, and provides a route for economic and social growth for women, men and children. “Due to this investment, transportation costs will be reduced to nearly a third creating savings for other economic and social activities. In addition, the programme seeks to improve the efficiency of the logistic chain of transport along the Bamenda-Enugu corridor through transport facilitation measures.

A Protocol of agreement has been signed for the first time between ECCAS and ECOWAS to govern the removal of obstacles to the free flow of traffic through the building of a common border checkpoint and limiting the number of checkpoints along the road,” AfDB further says. Business Times learnt that AfDB has placed both infrastructure and regional integration at the centre of its operations. It was also gathered that the Bank’s development approach gives high priority to promoting regional cooperation and integration to enable countries of Africa to gain from economies of scale and the benefits of larger markets that improve the productive capacity of Africa’s economy.

The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) has entrusted AfDB with a leading role in infrastructure development spurred by its identification of infrastructure and regional integration as major parameters for economic growth and poverty reduction in the continent. Analysts stress that the existing state of infrastructure constitutes a serious handicap to African productivity and competitiveness and contend that addressing Africa’s regional infrastructure needs is therefore a prerequisite to its development. They also maintain that regional integration is essential to building markets, creating robust and diverse economies, increasing opportunities for growth, and attracting new sources of investment finance.

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