NAIROBI/DAR ES SALAAM — East Africa is embarking on an ambitious transformation of its transport and logistics network as major investments in railways, highways, ports and inland logistics centres strengthen connections between countries and open new opportunities for regional trade and economic growth.
Across the region, the development of strategic transport corridors is creating a more connected marketplace, linking seaports with landlocked countries and bringing businesses, producers and consumers closer to regional and international markets.
The Northern Corridor, the Central Corridor and the emerging Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor are at the centre of this transformation.
Together, the corridors are helping East Africa build a modern multimodal transport system in which ports, railways, roads, dry ports and border facilities work together to move cargo more efficiently across national borders.
The long-term vision is clear: lower logistics costs, faster movement of goods, stronger intra-African trade and deeper economic integration among East African countries.
Northern Corridor Strengthens East Africa’s Gateway to the Great Lakes
The Northern Corridor remains one of the region’s most important trade routes, connecting the Port of Mombasa in Kenya with Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
As regional economies expand, the corridor is being strengthened through major investments designed to increase freight capacity and improve the efficiency of cargo movement.
A major milestone came in March 2026, when Kenya and Uganda advanced the development of the 107-kilometre Kisumu–Malaba Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) section.
The railway is expected to strengthen the connection between Kenya’s SGR network and Uganda, creating a more efficient freight route from the Port of Mombasa towards the Great Lakes region.
The development represents an important step towards a more integrated East African railway network, allowing heavy cargo to increasingly move by rail while supporting the wider road transport system.
Uganda is also progressing with plans for the Malaba–Kampala SGR, creating the foundation for a railway connection that could eventually extend further into western Uganda and provide stronger
