KENYA
First Cargo Lands in Lamu for Kenya's Dangote Refinery
On 30 September, Kenya's President William Ruto breaks ground on the Dangote East Africa Refinery in Lamu, a joint project between the Kenyan government and Nigerian industrialist Aliko Dangote, valued at around Ksh 2 trillion (an estimated $16–17 billion).
The port is already playing its part. On 26 September, the MV Da Yang docked at Lamu with 2,930 tonnes of heavy machinery, marking the arrival of the first project cargo for the refinery. "The arrival of this vessel is very critical and shows the Government's commitment to ensuring this project succeeds," said Kenya Ports Authority Chief Executive Captain William Ruto.
Once complete, in three to four years, the refinery is designed to process up to 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day, including crude from Kenya's Lokichar oilfields in Turkana. Plans also include a power plant of up to 1,000 megawatts and a special economic zone for manufacturing, with around 60,000 jobs expected.
The facility will produce petrol, diesel, aviation fuel and LPG for Kenya and neighbouring markets such as Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan and Ethiopia. For Lamu, part of the LAPSSET Corridor linking Kenya with South Sudan and Ethiopia, the project means more vessels and a bigger role in regional trade.
As Lamu and Mombasa handle growing volumes of project cargo, the right paperwork helps keep everything on schedule. Our ECTN certificate services for Kenya help your shipments clear customs smoothly, so your cargo arrives when it's needed.
Sources: kenyans.co.ke | peopledaily.digital | the-star.co.ke | citizen.digital | the-star.ke
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ANGOLA
Angola's Lobito Railway Plans to Double Cargo by 2027
Freight is picking up speed on the Lobito Corridor. Lobito Atlantic Railway (LAR), which operates the line from the Port of Lobito to the DRC border, moved 27,000 tonnes of cargo in July 2026, its best month so far, after recovering from flood damage.
LAR is aiming for 400,000 tonnes this year. About half is expected to be copper and cobalt from the DRC heading to Lobito, with the rest made up of freight travelling inland. CEO Nicholas Fournier said the results reflect infrastructure rehabilitation and better operational coordination along the corridor.
More growth is on the way. LAR has drawn a first tranche of around $300 million from financing backed by the US International Development Finance Corporation, and plans to double volumes to about 800,000 tonnes in 2027. "We are buying a lot of new wagons, new containers, repairing the line," Fournier told Bloomberg.
The operator is also looking beyond mining, with growth opportunities identified in agriculture, trade and energy, which could open the route to a wider range of shippers.
The Lobito Corridor is becoming a more practical option for moving goods between Angola's Atlantic coast and Central Africa.
As volumes on the corridor grow, keeping your documentation in order is key to avoiding hold-ups. Our ECTN certificate services for Angola help your shipments through the Port of Lobito clear customs smoothly, so you can make the most of the corridor's growing capacity.
Sources: allafrica.com | mining.com
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IVORY COAST
Smarter Roads for Abidjan: The Next Phase Begins
Traffic in Abidjan comes at a price. Congestion and inefficient mobility cost Côte d'Ivoire's economic capital an estimated $2.08 billion a year, around 4–5% of GDP. The government plans to tackle this by expanding its Intelligent Transport System (ITS) coverage from 16.8% to 40%.
The first phase has already delivered results. Speed cameras, smart traffic lights and variable message signs are in place, and between 2021 and 2023, road accidents fell by 24%, from 10,054 to 8,089, while fatalities dropped from 833 to 765.
The next phase goes further. Plans include full vehicle monitoring, a National Transport Operations Centre and a secure platform for managing commercial vehicles, which is particularly relevant for freight operators. To prepare, Transport Minister Amadou Koné led a delegation to China from 14 to 22 September, including the Huawei Connect forum, to study smart transport and digital road solutions.
Wider mobility upgrades are also funded, with the Islamic Development Bank providing more than CFAF 131 billion for the Sustainable and Integrated Urban Mobility Project.
For a city with around 10 million trips a day, smoother traffic means more reliable delivery times for trucks serving the Port of Abidjan.
As Abidjan's roads get smarter, make sure your paperwork keeps pace. Our ECTN certificate services for Côte d'Ivoire help your shipments clear customs smoothly, so your cargo reaches its destination without unnecessary delays.
Sources: ecofinagency.com | afrimag.net | laurore.net
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BENIN
Benin Rebuilds Its Road to the Sahel
Benin is investing in its role as a sea gateway for the Sahel. On 9 September, Benin's President launched works on the Sètto–Dassa-Zoumé section of National Inter-State Road No. 2, the backbone of the Cotonou–Niamey corridor.
The section is part of a 207-kilometre reconstruction from Cotonou to Dassa-Zoumé, which will turn the road into a dual carriageway and add a second bridge over the Zou River. The $291 million project is funded by the US Millennium Challenge Corporation ($202 million) and Benin's government ($89 million), with works scheduled to take 36 months.
Better roads are only part of the picture. On 15 September, officials from Benin, Burkina Faso, Niger and Togo met in Cotonou for UNCTAD-led talks on aligning road transport rules. Transporters currently report 10 to 15 checkpoints in Niger alone between Gaya and Niamey, adding time and cost to every trip.
The SIGMAT system already connects customs transit data between Benin, Nigeria and Niger, and the EU-funded COTONI programme (€18 million) supports trade facilitation along the corridor.
Together, these efforts point to a faster and more predictable route between the Port of Cotonou and the Sahel.
With the corridor getting a major upgrade, make sure your shipping documents are just as ready. Our ECTN certificate services for Benin help your cargo clear customs at the Port of Cotonou without delay, keeping your supply chain moving smoothly.
Sources: matinlibre.com | ecofinagency.com
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