Transport Observatories and Corridor Monitoring Systems in Africa: An Overview

By Danilo Desiderio

Corridor Management Authorities (CMAs) across Africa are increasingly recognizing the critical role of sophisticated IT tools in monitoring transport corridor performance. These systems enable rapid identification of bottlenecks and facilitate timely interventions to optimize trade, transit, and transport operations.

The Northern Corridor stands as a pioneering example, having established the continent’s first Corridor Transport Observatory, a model that has influenced the development of similar initiatives, including the Central Corridor Transport Observatory. However, the path to successful implementation is often fraught with challenges, as illustrated by several recent projects.

Navigating Financial and Political Hurdles

The Permanent Secretariat of the Dar Corridor Committee (DCC), tasked with managing the expansive 5,400 kilometer (3,355 mile) Dar-es-Salaam Corridor, received World Bank funding in 2016 to establish a Corridor Performance Monitoring system. Despite this initial support, the DCC has since become inactive due to financial constraints, halting the project’s progress.

Similarly, in West Africa, the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Organisation (ALCO), established in 2004, has struggled to fulfill its mandate of facilitating trade. While ALCO initially focused on coordinating health-related programs, the Presidents of Benin, Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo signed the Yamoussoukro Treaty in 2014, aiming to create the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Management Authority (ALCoMA).

ALCoMA, envisioned as a supranational entity with financial autonomy, has faced substantial delays in its operationalization, despite the completion of institutional design and technical studies in 2017. The authority is intended to oversee infrastructure development, harmonize policies, and monitor corridor performance using ICT.

The Power of Data-Driven Insights

Functioning Transport Observatories in Africa typically provide real-time data through user-friendly dashboards, offering critical insights into key performance indicators (KPIs). These metrics include average times and delays at ports, border posts, and other strategic nodes.

Currently, the Northern and Central Corridors lead the way in providing comprehensive data.

Initially, these observatories tracked different sets of KPIs. The Northern Corridor monitored over 40 KPIs across seven categories, including volume and capacity, tariffs, transit times, efficiency, intra-regional trade, road safety, and green freight.

The Central Corridor tracked 33 KPIs in four categories: volume and capacity, transport rates, transit times, and efficiency. At the 2018 East Africa Community and Corridors Joint Economic forum, the CMAs agreed to harmonize their systems, although differences remain.

For example, the Northern Corridor includes intra-regional trade data, while the Central Corridor incorporates gas emission data. Both corridors have implemented initiatives to enhance road safety, such as mapping blackspots and developing secure truck parking areas.

These multimodal transport networks, comprising roads, railways, pipelines, and waterways, collect data on various aspects of corridor performance. This includes transit and clearance times, cargo volumes, vessel waiting times, cargo dwell times, customs clearance times, and cargo throughput.

Road performance is assessed by analyzing transit times and road freight transport rates, often provided by national Transporters Associations. Weighbridge crossing times, sourced from road authorities, also contribute to the data pool.

Future Directions and Persistent Challenges

The Africa Corridor Management Alliance (ACMA), launched in 2012 to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing, ultimately became inactive due to funding issues. A more recent initiative, the DESSU corridor management authority, involving Djibouti, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Uganda, aims to address these challenges.

COMESA’s 2019 regulatory framework for the Port Sudan Corridor Authority (PSCA) highlights the ongoing efforts to establish effective CMAs. However, the PSCA project, despite initial enthusiasm, never materialized, underscoring the complexities involved.

The establishment and sustainability of CMAs demand significant political will, financial commitment, and robust funding models. The DESSU initiative, focused on the Djibouti-Addis Ababa corridor, plans to incorporate a Transport Observatory to monitor performance and provide policy recommendations.

The initial phase will concentrate on Djibouti and Ethiopia, with South Sudan and Uganda joining as infrastructure develops.

The success of these initiatives hinges on overcoming financial constraints and fostering sustained political commitment. Effective CMAs, equipped with robust monitoring systems, are essential for unlocking the full potential of Africa’s transport corridors, driving economic growth and regional integration.

Danilo Desiderio serves as the CEO of Desiderio Consultants Ltd in Nairobi, Kenya, specializing in African customs, trade, and transport policies. He is a customs and trade expert at the World Bank and a senior associate to the Horn Economic and Social Policy Institute (HESPI).