﻿15 Mega Projects That Almost Bankrupt Africa. Africa is experiencing an unprecedented surge
in infrastructural development and rapid urbanization, a trend that is still rising and
never seems to reach it peak with the absolutely massive projects being constructed on rapidly.
Due to increased demand from the developing middle class,
infrastructure and energy projects in Africa are expanding significantly. Sustainable social
infrastructure projects are under progress all over the continent, and as mentioned before
Africa doesn't seem to be slowing down any time soon because of the expanding population.
Now let’s do a little math, Africa has a rapidly expanding population and the bigger the population
the bigger the projects and given that Africa has the youngest population in the world, the
demographic trend calls for astronomically high infrastructural and developmental investments.
Its easy math, more people equal more buildings, roads and bridges. Today we’re going to be looking
at some of these mega projects which when taken into context and the fact that majority of them
were loans form the Chinese government, they actually almost bankrupt Africa.
15. The Cairo Metro line 4.8 Billion dollars. The first line of the Cairo Metro is known as Line
1 and is located in Cairo, Egypt. It is the first metro system in both the Middle East and Africa.
It was built in 19 87, runs 35 stops between Helwan and El Marg, and connects the two.
Line 1 is sometimes referred to as the French line or just the French line. It
is 4.7 kilometers long underground and has a total length of 44.3 kilometers. It runs trains
with 3 units at a frequency of 2.5 minutes and a top speed of 100 kilometers per hour.
60,000 passengers an hour can travel on the line in each direction. A new train driving simulator
has been incorporated into Cairo Metro's training facility specifically for Line 1 drivers. Transurb
Technirail, which won Cairo Metro's international tender in December 2011, donated the simulator.
Transurb Technirail will give Cairo Metro a driving simulator and a computer-assisted
learning space to train Line 1 drivers. This will help them improve their driving abilities and
teach them how to operate the rolling stock's basic functions and deal with problems.
14. Tatu City 4.9 Billion dollars. In the Ruiru Municipality region of Kiambu County,
16 kilometers north of Nairobi, sits Tatu City, a special economic zone of 5,000 acres. Tatu City
Zone is a flagship initiative of Kenya Vision 20 30 and is located within the broader Nairobi
Metropolitan region. It is home to more than 60 businesses and two international schools,
Nova Pioneer and Crawford International. In addition, there are other housing developments
in the city, including Kijani Ridge, Lifestyle Heights, Unity Homes, Karibu Homes, Tatu Waters,
and Mchana Estates. Before being purchased by Rendeavour in 20 10, the site on which Tatu
City is situated was a portion of the Belgian Socfinaf coffee farm formerly known as Tatu
Estate. This also applies to the land parcels in Ruiru known as Northlands City and Kahawa Sukari,
which were formerly owned by Socfinaf until being sold to other owners in the post-colonial era.
13. The Kusile Coal Power Plant 5.1 Billion dollars.
Before being purchased by Rendeavour in 20 10, the site on which Tatu City is situated was a portion
of the Belgian Socfinaf coffee farm formerly known as Tatu Estate. This also applies to the
land parcels in Ruiru known as Northlands City and Kahawa Sukari, which were formerly owned by
Socfinaf until being sold to other owners in the post-colonial era. Once completed,
the plant is projected to release 36.8 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent year. A few weeks before
the nation hosted an international conference on climate change in November 20 11, Greenpeace
activists handcuffed themselves to a gate and scaled a crane. Authorities detained nine persons
on suspicion of trespassing and willful property damage. The first of its kind in South Africa,
flue gas desulphurization technology may be installed at the station thanks to its design.
12. Lanseria Smart City 5.3 Billion Dollars. The West Rand of Gauteng has designated a region
for radical residential and commercial growth called Lanseria Smart City. The city, which is
anticipated to be finished around 20 30, intends to house up to 500,000 people and will connect
residential areas and industrial centres with newly integrated public transportation networks.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has hailed Lanseria Smart City as "the first new city to be
constructed in a democratic South Africa" and it aims to rethink urban design. The Greater
Lanseria Master Plan has been made available for public discussion, giving South Africans a look
at this future city. The Greater Lanseria Master Plan, which focuses heavily on sustainability,
includes waste-to-energy, micro-hydro, solar, and biogas generation as potential sources of energy.
All residential and commercial structures must have a Green Star score of four to five.
This indicates that the buildings are composed of non-toxic, environmentally friendly materials and
are resource and energy efficient. Urban farming will be promoted, including rooftop gardens and
public grow areas. 11.
Eko Atlantic City 6 Billion dollars. Eko Atlantic, also known as Eko Atlantic
Metropolis or Nigeria International Commerce City, is a planned city being built in Lagos
State, Nigeria, on land that was once part of the Atlantic Ocean.
At least 250,000 people are expected to live on the new peninsula once it is finished,
along with 150,000 commuters per day. The project is also intended to assist in halting the coastal
erosion of Lagos City. The city is bordered to the north by the Phase 1 neighborhood of Lekki
and the west, east, and south by the Lagos city district of Victoria Island. With a total of 10
districts scattered throughout a land area of around 10 square kilometers, Eko Atlantic
is predicted to become the next generation of real estate on the African continent. The city
will meet demands for lodgings in the financial, commercial, residential, and tourist sectors.
10. De Beers Diamond Mines 6.4 billion dollars. The diamond corporation De Beers has alliances
with the African nations where their mines are located. For instance, Debswana is a partnership
between De Beers and Botswana, and Namdeb is a joint venture between De Beers and the
government of Namibia. A new business agreement that would extend until 20 42 was agreed by De
Beers and the Namibian government in October 20 21. The new agreement maintains the land-based
mines owned by the JV open and running for an extra 20 years. Namdeb's mines are an essential
component of the nation's economy. By 20 34, the mining megaproject, which will have more than 360
kilometers of tunnels under construction, is expected to be fully operational.
9. Eskom Power Stations 8.5 billion dollars.
To finance its transition away from coal, South Africa will get grants and loans totaling 8.5
billion dollars billion from the United States, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom.
It is anticipated that the partnership to speed up South Africa's transition away from coal would
serve as a model for other nations in the future. The state-owned power company in South Africa,
Eskom, intends to expedite its new energy projects using its share of the enormous funding.
South Africa presently ranks 12th in the world for greenhouse gas emissions and mainly relies
on outdated coal-fired power plants to generate its electricity. By utilizing the low production
cost of solar photovoltaic power generation at its mines, Eskom hopes to lower its carbon footprint
and attain net-zero emission status by the year 20 50. At its mining locations, Eskom will first
build solar photovoltaic facilities; after that, it will put in energy storage facilities.
8. October Oasis 8.9 billion dollars. The 10,000-acre October Oasis, which will
be encircled by the Ring Road and the Fayoum Road, will be developed in the southern part of October
City. The city, which will contain residential, business, and hospitality components, is one the
largest project the government will announced by the Egyptian government so far. Arabtec will
give the authorities housing and public services in an effort to stimulate the industry. After
the project is finished, ownership will be transferred to the relevant authorites.
7. Tahya Misr Bridge 9.94 billion dollars. The Rod El Farag Axis Bridge, also known as
the Tahya Misr Bridge, is a cable-stayed bridge that spans the Nile River in the Cairo, Egypt,
neighborhood of Rod El Farag. The Arab Contractors constructed it. The bridge
is the biggest cable-stayed bridge in the entire world, measuring 67.3 meters in width. The bridge,
which offers panoramic views of the banks of the Nile from its pedestrian walkways
and a glass floored see-through walkway where tourists can cross the Nile, has grown to be a
popular tourist destination in Cairo as a result of its location. Over the course of four years,
the bridge was constructed. Engineers, technicians, and labourers totaling 4,000
participated in the construction. 20 19 saw its completion and President Sisi inaugurated it.
6. Konza technology city 14 billion dollars. Kenya has started building a technology city
in Machakos County in an effort to draw investors and top technical talent to boost economic growth.
The digital hub, known as the "African Silicon Savanna" and "Konza Technopolis," is 64 kilometers
from Nairobi's capital. It is being designed to resemble California's "Silicon Valley."
Kenya's Vision 20 30 economic development program includes the city's construction and
development as a centerpiece project. Business process outsourcing, software development,
data centers, disaster recovery facilities, call centers, light manufacturing industries,
and research facilities will all be concentrated in Konza City.
5. Dangote Oil Refinery 19 billion dollars. The Dangote oil refinery is anticipated to be
both the largest single-train facility in the world and the largest oil refinery in
Africa if it is finished in 20 23. In the Lekki Free Zone, close to Lagos, Nigeria,
the Dangote oil refinery is a 650,000 barrels per day integrated refinery and petrochemical project.
When fully operational, the Dangote plant is expected to produce 290,000 mega tons of propane
annually, as well as 327,000 barrels per day of gasoline, 244,000 barrels per day of diesel,
56,000 barrels per day of jet fuel and kerosene, and 244,000 barrels per day of diesel.
4. Hurghada- Luxor highway 23 billion dollars. Upper Egypt's Luxor is a well-known tourist
destination. More than 500 000 people call it home. The most significant Egyptian archaeological
sites are located in and around the town. Each year, thousands of tourists are drawn to Luxor
by the wealth of monuments built in the style of ancient Egypt, which also happens to be the city
after which the Luxor Highway is called. The famed Valley of the Kings and Queens,
funeral temples, and the Luxor Museum of Antiquities are all located in Luxor.
3.El Dabaa Nuclear Plant 28 billion dollars. The El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant, Egypt's first
nuclear power plant, will be situated around 320 kilometers northwest of Cairo in the Matrouh
Governorate of Egypt. Egypt will be the first nation in the region to have a Generation III+
reactor thanks to the plant's four VVER-1200 reactors. Egypt and Russia inked a preliminary
deal on November 19, 20 15, under which Russia will construct and finance Egypt's first nuclear
power facility. Preliminary contracts for the building of four VVER-1200 units were signed
in December 20 17 in the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Egyptian President
Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. In June 20 21, the Nuclear Power Plants Authority submitted construction
permission applications for units 1 and 2, and in December 2021, applications for units 3 and 4. The
Egyptian Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority granted the unit 1 authorization in
June 20 22. In July 20 22, the first concrete for safety purposes was placed. The Egyptian
Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority approved unit 2's construction in October 20
22. 2. October Oasis City 40 billion dollars.
The 10,000-acre October Oasis, which is encircled by the Ring Road and the Fayoum Road,
was developed in the southern part of 6th of October City. Over the following five years,
the project's implementation was done in four parts. The 40 billion dollar project
called for the construction of 13 sites in Egypt, with the first residences scheduled
to be delivered in early 2017. The housing units and public services will be provided by Arabtec.
After the project is finished, ownership was transferred to the relevant authorities.
1.Egypt New Administrative Capital 45 billion dollars.
The new administrative capital of Egypt has not yet been given a name, but housing units
and important facilities are being erected. The smart city, which has 25 commercial districts
and 21 residential districts, is located 45 kilometers east of Cairo. Once finished,
it will contain man-made lakes, a sizable solar farm, and a sizable entertainment area. But it
doesn't end there; the infrastructure of the new capital will also include a theme park four times
the size of Disneyland, a technology park, a new airport, 2,000 educational institutions,
1,250 mosques, 663 clinics and hospitals, and over 40,000 hotel rooms. The move of government
ministries, foreign embassies, parliaments, and presidential residences is expected to cost 45
billion dollars, although the overall cost of the as-yet-unnamed capital city is unknown.
Egypt’s Capital ends our countdown for mega projects that almost bankrupt Africa please
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