Integrated High Speed Train Network

Aim

The Integrated High Speed Train Network will link every African capital and major commercial hub through 13 regional corridors, reducing logistics costs, cutting reliance on road freight, and providing the physical backbone for the AfCFTA single market.

Progress to date

Egypt signed a landmark 2,000 km high-speed rail contract with Siemens Mobility, with the first trains debuted in late 2025. Kenya and Uganda launched the Kisumu-Malaba SGR extension in 2026, and South Africa announced a Pretoria-Polokwane corridor targeting first operations by 2030.

Challenges

Gauge incompatibility across colonial-era networks, financing requirements running into hundreds of billions of dollars, and uneven political commitment across the 55 member states remain the principal obstacles to a unified continental network.

Next steps

AUDA-NEPAD is advancing blended-finance models and bilateral partnerships to extend construction beyond the current three corridors, with full continental integration targeted for 2063.