The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved additional financing of €217.37 million ($250.78 million) to the Ugandan government for the completion of the Busega–Mpigi Expressway and the Kagitumba–Kayonza–Rusumo road projects. These initiatives form part of a critical transport corridor linking Uganda and Rwanda and are expected to significantly ease traffic congestion while enhancing regional trade along the Northern Corridor.
The Busega–Mpigi interchange, a central component of the expressway, will connect the new route to the Northern Bypass and the Entebbe Expressway, providing a seamless link for commuters and traders while alleviating long-standing traffic bottlenecks in Kampala.
“This project is more than a road; it is a lifeline for communities and a gateway for trade,” said George Makajuma, AfDB’s Principal Transport Engineer and Project Task Manager. “The additional funding ensures that the Busega–Mpigi Expressway delivers safer, faster, and more inclusive transportation for millions, unlocking the region’s economic potential.”
Construction on the expressway is set to resume in January 2026, with completion expected by December 2029 and full operational readiness anticipated in 2030. The funds come primarily from the European Union–Africa Infrastructure Trust Fund, managed by AfDB, which has supported African infrastructure projects worth over €11 billion since 2007.
A consortium of Chinese firms, including China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and China Railway 19th Bureau Group Co. Ltd, originally won the contract in 2019. The additional financing will support expanded works such as new interchanges, bridges, toll plazas, and service lanes, including the critical Busega Interchange linking the expressway to Kampala’s Northern Bypass.
Once complete, the upgraded 27.3-kilometre Busega–Mpigi Expressway is expected to cut travel time from over two hours to less than 45 minutes. This will improve access to markets, healthcare, and other essential services for more than one million residents and traders in central Uganda.
Beyond easing congestion, the project aims to reduce vehicle-operating costs, enhance road safety, and streamline customs processing for imports and exports along the Northern Corridor. It will also support land compensation, project management, and institutional strengthening within Uganda’s Ministry of Works and Transport following its recent restructuring.
The total estimated cost for Uganda’s portion of the project now stands at €424.61 million, reflecting an expanded scope compared to the original €176.26 million. AfDB’s contribution of €217.37 million includes a €188.18 million loan from ADB, a €28.31 million loan from ADF, and a NEPAD-IPPF grant of $1 million. The Ugandan government will provide €30.98 million in counterpart funding.
The additional financing also covers the construction of seven new bridges, 54 kilometres of lined drainage channels, and capacity-building programs for local communities. More than 1,200 jobs are expected to be created, with 800 during construction and 400 during operations, and at least 30% of positions reserved for women and youth.
The project, initially conceived a decade ago, spans both Uganda and Rwanda. In Uganda, the focus is upgrading the 24-kilometre Kampala–Mpigi section into a dual carriageway, while in Rwanda it involves rehabilitating the Kagitumba–Kayonza–Rusumo roads that connect Uganda at Mirama Hills and extend to Tanzania along the Central Corridor.
AfDB emphasizes that the improved transport network will serve as a strategic artery for trade, integration, and regional growth in the Great Lakes region, strengthening competitiveness and fostering long-term economic development.
