By Abdullahi Salad - Reporter
Somalia, 14 December 2025 - The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has approved $76.37 million in additional financing for Somalia’s Road Infrastructure Programme, a key component of the Horn of Africa corridor project linking Somalia with Djibouti and Ethiopia.
The new funding package comprises $49.16 million from the African Development Fund (ADF)—the Bank’s concessional lending arm—and $27.21 million from the Transition Support Facility (TSF), which supports countries affected by fragility and conflict.
The Bank said the programme aims to improve transport connectivity within Somalia and strengthen links with neighbouring countries in the Horn of Africa. The project is designed to stimulate cross-border trade, reinforce regional integration, and reduce vulnerability along key transport corridors in the region.
Mike Salawou, the African Development Bank Group’s Director of Infrastructure and Urban Development, said the request for additional financing resulted from an expansion of the project’s original scope.
“The programme has evolved from limited interventions to full-scale road upgrades, made possible by improved designs and the integration of new components such as bridges, additional road sections, trade facilitation measures, and social infrastructure to maximize benefits for local communities,” Salawou said.
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The financing will primarily support the upgrading of two strategic road sections: a 15-kilometre stretch connecting Zeila to Asha Addo in Somaliland, and a 22-kilometre section linking Beledweyne to Kalabeyr in Hirshabelle State.
According to a statement issued by the Bank, in addition to road construction, the project includes community development and resilience initiatives aimed at improving access to basic services. These include the construction of boreholes, refurbishment of classrooms to serve as skills development centres, construction of markets and storage facilities, and rehabilitation of health centres.
The African Development Bank said the expanded programme is expected to improve livelihoods for communities living along key transport corridors and strengthen Somalia’s role in regional trade and connectivity across the Horn of Africa.
