AfDB reaffirms commitment to financing Malaba–Kampala SGR line

KAMPALA - The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group has reaffirmed its commitment to financing the construction of the 326km Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) section in Uganda from the Malaba border to Kampala.

The commitment was made by the bank’s vice president in charge of regional development, integration and business delivery, Dr. Abdul Kamara, while meeting Uganda’s delegation from the finance ministry in Congo-Brazzaville on Friday (May 29).

This was on the sidelines of the AfDB annual meetings, 2026, in the capital, Brazzaville, according to the press statement by the finance ministry.

Uganda’s delegation was led by the assistant commissioner at the finance ministry, Mustapha Achidri.  

Kamara said the SGR project is well aligned with the bank’s cardinal priority of building resilient infrastructure on the African continent.

The bank has already tentatively allocated about $650 million. However, the statement said the final project financing arrangements will be concluded during the next appraisal mission next month, based on the approval of African Development Fund 17.

Kamara also pledged the support of AfDB to the tune of $1 million to Uganda as an emergency response to the fight against Ebola.

Achidri welcomed the commitment of the AfDB to fund the SGR, adding that the Ugandan government is currently mobilising €2.7 billion to finance the construction of the project, a key enabler under the Tenfold Growth Strategy.

He also thanked the bank for the continuous support to Uganda, making specific reference to the recently approved projects by the bank’s board, including the additional financing for the Uganda Rural Electrification Project 1 worth €7.33 million and the Uganda Rural Electrification Access Project Phase II worth €101.23 million.

On behalf of Uganda, Achidri also congratulated the president of AfDB Dr. Sidi Ould Tah, upon his election to the helm of Africa’s beacon of hope and transformation.

“The Government of Uganda pledges its support to your endeavours during your tenure,” he said.

Dignitaries at the meeting included Bhebhe Themba, the Country Manager AfDB (Uganda), Yvette Glele-Ahanhanzo, director, Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery and Maria, Antonia, Joy Kategekwa, Director, Regional Coordination Office.

More about new SGR project

In March this year, President Yoweri Museveni and his Kenyan counterpart William Ruto formally launched the construction of this second section of the SGR line that will link East African markets and make the region a competitive investment destination.

The two leaders symbolically tightened a bolt on the multi-billion-dollar Naivasha-Kisumu-Malaba SGR line in Kisumu to mark the commencement of construction works, according to a statement by President Museveni’s press unit.

This infrastructure project is expected to strengthen connectivity to the Kenyan port of Mombasa and facilitate trade with landlocked countries, including Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

It is also expected to significantly improve the northern corridor by reducing transport time, lowering freight costs, and improving the movement of goods between Uganda and the Kenyan coast, the statement said.

The first section links the port of Mombasa to the capital, Nairobi, reducing the journey time from 15 hours to about four.

The railway’s Uganda extension, with branch lines west to Kisangani in the DR Congo, south through Rwanda to Burundi and north to South Sudan, will see passenger trains travel at a top speed of 120 km/h (75 mph), while freight trains have a maximum speed of 80 km/h.

The SGR that starts from the Port of Mombasa currently ends at Naivasha township. The Kenya SGR section is estimated to cost more than $5.5b while the Ugandan side $3b.