Nigeria, Other Ports Need1.84m Trucks To Ship Bulk Cargoes

United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) has said that Nigeria and other African countries will need 1.84 million trucks to move bulk cargoes from the various ports. It added that 248,000 trucks would be needed for container cargoes by 2030 during the implementation of African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA). In a study conducted by experts in the energy, infrastructure and services section of UNECA, it was learnt that nearly 40 per cent of the increase in Africa’s services production would be in the transport sector. It added that the largest demand for trucks to support Af- CFTA was within West Africa at 39 per cent; demand from West to Southern Africa would be 19.8 per cent and from Southern Africa to Western Africa by 9.9 per cent. According to UN Under-secretary- General and Executive Secretary of UNECA, Vera Songwe, AFCFTA is “expected to significantly increase traffic flows on all transport modes – road, rail, maritime, and air,” but that such gains would only be optimised if AFCFTA was accompanied by the implementation of regional infrastructure projects.

The executive secretary said: “In the maritime sector, implementing the continental free trade pact would double maritime freight from 58 to 131.5 million tonnes. Africa’s maritime network includes 142 links connecting 65 ports; accounting for 22.1 per cent of intra-african freight transport. The share will increase by 0.6 per cent to 22.7 percent if both AFCFTA and planned infrastructure projects are implemented, according to the UNECA. The UNECA estimate shows that the AFCFTA requires 126 vessels for bulk cargo and 15 vessels for container cargo by 2030. This reduces to 121 and 14 vessels, respectively, if planned infrastructure projects are also implemented.

On the rail transport, UNECA estimates that Africa’s rail network is inadequate, but implementing the Program for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) and other planned projects will significantly increase its size. Implementing planned projects will increase the network by almost 26,500 kilometers. AFCFTA requires 97,614 wagons for bulk cargo and 20,668 wagons for container cargo by 2030. This increases to 132,857 and 36,482 wagons, respectively, if planned infrastructure projects are also implemented, according to the UNECA estimate.