6 African projects named among world’s 100 most innovative
The six projects are:
Tthe Brics cable project, in South Africa and Mauritius;
the Djibouti Railway, in Ethiopia;
the Lagos Metro Blue Line, in Nigeria;
the Durban waste-to-energy project, in South Africa;
the Queen Mamohato Memorial Hospital, in Lesotho;
the O3b Networks project being rolled out across the African continent.
Tuesday, 28 August 2012
Saturday, 25 August 2012
E-Tolling on African Roads - What is going on?
The desire of African states to address the state of transportation infrastructure has forced a range of investment options on policy makers.
With ostensible pressure from donor agencies and multilateral partners, private sector-led financing has taken prime spot in these investment arrangements. And because of the need to balance the upfront commitment of funds by investors, for the first time, many African citizens are facing a wave of road tolling projects in their backyard.
Road transport is the backbone of African economies and most people have some form of interaction with the road, rural or urban.
In Nigeria, the Lagos state government has been battling resistance by citizens to the road tolling scheme on the growing economic hub of Lekki-Epe Axis. The state government had given the Lekki Concession Company, LCC, the 30-year period of the concession with a view to upgrading the inadequate road previously in place. Massive protests were held and court actions filed by residents. So far their objections have not achieved a stoppage of the project as the LCC has commenced collection of tolls from the Victoria Island entrance towards Lekki.
In South Africa, the Constitutional Court of South Africa has not yet made judgement on whether it will overturn the injunction preventing the implementation of e-tolling, as requested by the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) [TWA]. As in Lagos, Nigeria, where the Lekki-Eti-Osa-Epe residents Association spearheaded the opposition to the Lekki e-tolling project, an advocacy group, Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance [OUTA], is the albatross overhanging the Gauteng Freeway Project.
Why these objections? Primarily, money. The government has not got the money in the treasury to finance these large scale projects. And as economic opportunity opens up new frontiers, the state needs to prioritise allocation of revenues for social development such as education and capacity enlargement. That is the official line. The opposition alleges unfairness. They cry of lack of consultation, as in Lagos, where residents accuse the government of political cronyism in favour of the leadership of the ruling political party. There are also allegations, perhaps, with some merit, that the provision of alternative route to the toll road was not aligned to the time for commencement of e-tolling.
The issue of road tolling or e-tolling is one that's not going to go away. It will continue to feature in the considerations for funding large scale transport projects. The arguments that will endure will be about negotiations and consultations prior to project decisions. It will also be about transparency and due diligence to avoid undue politicization of a progressive financing model. Another point worth noting is that decision makers must take long-term views of their options. For instance, a Light Rail system would have been, in the long term, a better option in the Lekki-Ajah-Epe Axis. The amount of money spent in less than a year on mitigating the loss of toll revenues due to court injunction - 4 billion Naira [$25m] indicates that the road expansion was a less financially sound option. This discussion will be the subject of a separate blog.
It is my hope that governments will be bold to proffer sound investment options for transport in Africa. The key is multifaceted consultation with a clear public agenda free from hidden entanglements.
In truth though, there is no doubt that tolling and private financing of transport projects Africa is a model that has come to stay.
Thursday, 16 August 2012
First London Diaspora Conference on Transport in Africa
As Africa's economies continue to grow and diversify, public transport is seen as a major driver of efficiency to accelerate latent potential and mitigate social impacts of. Governments, businesses and communities are investing in large-scale transport infrastructure building and renewal. In addition to these, human capacity issues relating to training, development, knowledge management, mentoring and competence management require fresh thinking and new perspectives.
What can you contribute - what can you deliver?
Look out for future information on the First London Diaspora Conference on Transport in Africa.
For sponsorship and partnership enquiries, please contact:
The Convener,
The London Centre for Transport in Africa
Email: transportinafrica@gmail.com
Saturday, 11 August 2012
The full package of the new Lagos Road Traffic Law
The full package of the new Lagos Road Traffic Law
While attending a World Bank Urban Transport event in Lagos last year, I got into a discussion with a chietain of a key public transport organisation in Lagos. The issue was the abuse of the dedicated BRT lanes by certain groups of motorists. These were known to be military and police officers in official or private vehicles and commercial 'Danfo' drivers who had been consigned to operate in the service lanes following the advent of BRT in Lagos. Having expressed our mutual angst at the negative impact of the illegal use of the lanes, attention focused on the 'Danfo' commercila bus operators. The emphasis was on the seeming inability of legal process to regulate their misconduct.
In particular, the use of violence on officials of the traffic enforcement agency, LASTMA by thugs of the Danfo operators posed significant operational and security and safety risks. Often this led to unmanageable traffic gridlock as well as damage to vehicles and infrastruture. Loss of life and serious injury of enforcement officials was a source of low morale and eventually fed corruption in the system.
As the chieftain seemed to throw up his hands in frustration at the messy nexus of confusion, I suggested that the key issue for managing the infirngement of the BRT lanes was traceability of the offenders. He was not convinced but I insisted that a way had to be found to link the drivers and conductors using the BRT lanes illegally with their respective patrons. I said it was a known fact the buses were owned by people who belonged to a local branch of the NARTO - National Association of Road Transport Operators, and a way had to be found to attach the conduct of their employees to their commercial activites as bus owners.
I did not feel that the chieftain was persuaded. I also suggsested that, alonmg with this engagement with the NARTO owners, the enforcers should provide a facility for effecting traceability by using recorded footage of abusers to challenge the owners to apply pressure on their drivers and condcutors. I said this could be done by mobile CCTV units at strategic parts of the BRT lane. THis footage could be used on the regulator-sponsored outreach TV programme to show that abusers were no longer anonymous. To my alarm, the chieftain laughed, saying that I would be surprised that such footage on TV may be worn by the Danfo abusers as a badge of honour!
I was left in no doubt that the proble of enforcing segregation of the BRT lane as well as other public transport regulations -such as driving against traffic- remained a major plank of the strategy of the chieftain's organisation.
Thankfully, the Lagos state government has decided to tackle the menace of disjointed public transport enforcement with a clear intention - put a big cost at the actions of illegal behaviours.
This new law will achieve that provided the human and technical resources needed to maintain a high level of positive outcomes are provided. And for a start, concessioning of some of the enforcement roles is a first step.
While attending a World Bank Urban Transport event in Lagos last year, I got into a discussion with a chietain of a key public transport organisation in Lagos. The issue was the abuse of the dedicated BRT lanes by certain groups of motorists. These were known to be military and police officers in official or private vehicles and commercial 'Danfo' drivers who had been consigned to operate in the service lanes following the advent of BRT in Lagos. Having expressed our mutual angst at the negative impact of the illegal use of the lanes, attention focused on the 'Danfo' commercila bus operators. The emphasis was on the seeming inability of legal process to regulate their misconduct.
In particular, the use of violence on officials of the traffic enforcement agency, LASTMA by thugs of the Danfo operators posed significant operational and security and safety risks. Often this led to unmanageable traffic gridlock as well as damage to vehicles and infrastruture. Loss of life and serious injury of enforcement officials was a source of low morale and eventually fed corruption in the system.
As the chieftain seemed to throw up his hands in frustration at the messy nexus of confusion, I suggested that the key issue for managing the infirngement of the BRT lanes was traceability of the offenders. He was not convinced but I insisted that a way had to be found to link the drivers and conductors using the BRT lanes illegally with their respective patrons. I said it was a known fact the buses were owned by people who belonged to a local branch of the NARTO - National Association of Road Transport Operators, and a way had to be found to attach the conduct of their employees to their commercial activites as bus owners.
I did not feel that the chieftain was persuaded. I also suggsested that, alonmg with this engagement with the NARTO owners, the enforcers should provide a facility for effecting traceability by using recorded footage of abusers to challenge the owners to apply pressure on their drivers and condcutors. I said this could be done by mobile CCTV units at strategic parts of the BRT lane. THis footage could be used on the regulator-sponsored outreach TV programme to show that abusers were no longer anonymous. To my alarm, the chieftain laughed, saying that I would be surprised that such footage on TV may be worn by the Danfo abusers as a badge of honour!
I was left in no doubt that the proble of enforcing segregation of the BRT lane as well as other public transport regulations -such as driving against traffic- remained a major plank of the strategy of the chieftain's organisation.
Thankfully, the Lagos state government has decided to tackle the menace of disjointed public transport enforcement with a clear intention - put a big cost at the actions of illegal behaviours.
This new law will achieve that provided the human and technical resources needed to maintain a high level of positive outcomes are provided. And for a start, concessioning of some of the enforcement roles is a first step.
Thursday, 19 January 2012
Friday, 6 January 2012
'Fuel Subsidy' In Nigeria - Making Transportation Onerous
On New Year's Day, 2012, Nigerians woke up to a gift from President Goodluck Jonathan. His government announced that the 'fuel subsidy' that government provided to allow Nigerians enjoy affordable petrol costs was being withdrawn immediately. In one fell swoop, the pump price for petrol went from 65 naira to 141 naira per litre. This was no laughing matter. Instantly, many of those that traveled to their towns and villages for the Xmas and New Year celebrations became stranded as transporters - mainly interstate bus operators - jacked up their prices. Some increases were nearly triple the price of the original trip.
AllAfrica.com reports as follows:
In Lagos, the fares to most parts of the state were increased by over 100%. Transportation between Ikeja and Yaba now costs N400 instead of the previous N120; Obalende to Oshodi which used to be N70 is now N200 Ojodu to CMS is now N500 from N150.
Commuters traveling to Abuja from Lagos now pay between N6,000 and N8,000. At the Ekesons Motors in Jibowu, transport fare to Port Harcourt is now N6,000 from the previous price of N2,500. Many Lagosians are reportedly staying indoors due to the increasing transportation costs.
Presently, protests are spreading across the country. At least one person has been killed.
The government insists there is no going back because of the 'macroeconomic' benefits that are promised if the subsidy is invested in the productive sectors of the economy. Most Nigerians are not convinced as they have seen such past promises go up in the smoke of endemic corruption.
What is certain is that the cost of transport will go up. And not come down for the common man to benefit from the promised 'macroeconomic' benefits.
AllAfrica.com reports as follows:
In Lagos, the fares to most parts of the state were increased by over 100%. Transportation between Ikeja and Yaba now costs N400 instead of the previous N120; Obalende to Oshodi which used to be N70 is now N200 Ojodu to CMS is now N500 from N150.
Commuters traveling to Abuja from Lagos now pay between N6,000 and N8,000. At the Ekesons Motors in Jibowu, transport fare to Port Harcourt is now N6,000 from the previous price of N2,500. Many Lagosians are reportedly staying indoors due to the increasing transportation costs.
Presently, protests are spreading across the country. At least one person has been killed.
The government insists there is no going back because of the 'macroeconomic' benefits that are promised if the subsidy is invested in the productive sectors of the economy. Most Nigerians are not convinced as they have seen such past promises go up in the smoke of endemic corruption.
What is certain is that the cost of transport will go up. And not come down for the common man to benefit from the promised 'macroeconomic' benefits.
Thursday, 29 December 2011
2011 and Africa's Public Transport
The wheels are grinding slowly to a halt as 2011 comes to a close. For Africa's public transport, another mixed bag of hopes, raised, met and dashed in varying measure.
Political Will and Public Transport
As with every economic sector in society, public transport is a lever for driving change in society. The key thing about public transport is that it provides a platform for all other activities in society. Mobility is central to human life and the more intertwined and conflicting these become, the greater the need for high level co-ordination, high value infrastructure that meets the needs of all users. This is where political will is vital to achieving investment in public transport networks. There is evidence to affirm that many countries on the continent are gradually beginning to visualise their overall goals of prosperity through the prism of a viable, beneficial transport network. It is also becoming evident that many of the MDGs that form the crux of the African Union's NEPAD agenda require an integrated transport system.
Here is hoping that as governments cast their visions into the new year, they will acquire and retain a strong desire to build modern transport systems that will drive established and new economic activities. Of course, I expect that the some of the key frontiers in African transport investment - South Africa, Nigeria and Senegal will continue to provide leadership in this context.
Upskilling the professionals
I wish to pay tribute to the leaders of UATP, the African section of the UITP for their tireless effort to raise the human capacity in the African public transport sector. I attended a workshop in Lagos that was organised by UATP and resourced by the World Bank Transport Group. It brought together professionals from across the continent. This is the type of interventions that I expect governments to continue to put together in the new year.
The key point to note is that local public officials and local operators should be brought into the mainstream in order to ensure that they are able to interpret high level visions and deliver them for the benefit of the public.
Finally, I thank you all for following my conversations and expect to share more with you in 2011.
Best wishes and a happy new year to you in 2012.
Political Will and Public Transport
As with every economic sector in society, public transport is a lever for driving change in society. The key thing about public transport is that it provides a platform for all other activities in society. Mobility is central to human life and the more intertwined and conflicting these become, the greater the need for high level co-ordination, high value infrastructure that meets the needs of all users. This is where political will is vital to achieving investment in public transport networks. There is evidence to affirm that many countries on the continent are gradually beginning to visualise their overall goals of prosperity through the prism of a viable, beneficial transport network. It is also becoming evident that many of the MDGs that form the crux of the African Union's NEPAD agenda require an integrated transport system.
Here is hoping that as governments cast their visions into the new year, they will acquire and retain a strong desire to build modern transport systems that will drive established and new economic activities. Of course, I expect that the some of the key frontiers in African transport investment - South Africa, Nigeria and Senegal will continue to provide leadership in this context.
Upskilling the professionals
I wish to pay tribute to the leaders of UATP, the African section of the UITP for their tireless effort to raise the human capacity in the African public transport sector. I attended a workshop in Lagos that was organised by UATP and resourced by the World Bank Transport Group. It brought together professionals from across the continent. This is the type of interventions that I expect governments to continue to put together in the new year.
The key point to note is that local public officials and local operators should be brought into the mainstream in order to ensure that they are able to interpret high level visions and deliver them for the benefit of the public.
Finally, I thank you all for following my conversations and expect to share more with you in 2011.
Best wishes and a happy new year to you in 2012.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)