Algerian Radio
The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group highlighted on Thursday in Brazzaville the Algiers-Tamanrasset railway project as one of the "most transformative" infrastructure projects in Africa, emphasizing the strategic importance of this Trans-Saharan corridor in the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
During a meeting held as part of the AfDB Annual Meetings, the Bank's Vice President, Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, explained that the Bank's contribution to financing the first section (Laghouat-Ghardaïa-El Meniaa) of the Algiers-Tamanrasset line represents "the Bank's largest project in Algeria."
"Among our interventions with a high transformative impact, the Algerian railway project stands out as a foundation of the Trans-Saharan Road," she stated, noting that this corridor embodies the importance of connectivity infrastructure in accelerating African economic integration and supporting the effective implementation of the AfCFTA.
This line passes through the provinces of Algiers, Laghouat, Ghardaïa, El Meniaa, In Salah, and Tamanrasset. It is expected to enter service by the end of 2028, according to the recent instructions of the President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who described the project as the "challenge of the new century," ranking it in importance alongside the Gara Djebilet project.
Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade also reported that the AfDB Group and the African Development Fund approved total financing worth $11 billion in 2025, the "second-highest figure in the Bank's history." According to provided data, the financing approved in 2025 is expected to help create 4.1 million direct and indirect jobs.
For her part, the Bank's Vice President for Finance and Chief Financial Officer, Hassatou N’Sele, noted that the African institution managed to mobilize more than $47 billion in capital markets between 2021 and 2025. She further explained that the Bank's borrowing program for 2026 is expected to reach a record level of $12 billion.
Hassatou N’Sele also indicated that the value of approved loans reached $8.7 billion in 2025, bringing the total approved loans for the 2021-2025 period to $32.7 billion.
On the sidelines of the annual meetings, a ceremony was held for the "African Banker Awards," where the "Bank of the Year" title was awarded to the African banking group Ecobank.
