The last decade brought tremendous progress in the establishment of sound institutions to manage and maintain Africa’s trunk road network, but the process remains incomplete

The vast majority of African countries have introduced road funds financed by fuel levies to provide a secure source for maintenance of the trunk road network. A smaller group of countries has set up autonomous road agencies to implement or oversee maintenance programs. Specialized agencies have been established to manage maintenance, and new forms of contract-based maintenance are being introduced.

Although important funding gaps remain, the results of these changes are discernible. On average, 80 percent of the main road network is in good or fair condition, and the current value of national road networks is at least 70 percent of its potential. Countries with high fuel levies and road agencies seem to do significantly better at preserving road quality than those without. The limited data available also suggests that most countries have improved road conditions over time.

Nevertheless, fuel levies have in many cases been set too low to be effective, and road funds and agencies do not always meet all good-practice design criteria. Modern contracting and contract management methods are far from universal. The reform agenda remains incomplete and will need to be pursued further. In addition, while policy-makers have focused their attention on interurban roads, other challenges have surfaced that will require different types of solutions.
 
 

Countries vary in the extent to which they meet good-practice design criteria for road funds