The World Bank has approved US$140 million in additional financing to expand climate-resilient transport infrastructure across Senegal, extending a major road programme designed to improve agricultural connectivity, strengthen rural economies and increase access to essential services.
The new financing, equivalent to €119.6 million, brings total investment in the Enhancing Connectivity in the Northern and Central Agricultural Production Areas of Senegal Project to US$470.8 million, including a US$2 million contribution from the Government of Senegal.
The programme will extend road improvements into two strategically important economic corridors linking Koussanar to Koumpentoum and Tambacounda to Dianké Makha, supporting regions where agriculture and livestock remain the backbone of local economies.
Overall, the project is expected to directly benefit around 570,000 people, while strengthening supply chains, improving market access and supporting Senegal’s long-term economic development strategy.
Building on existing delivery
The latest funding builds on progress already achieved through the programme, which has delivered 414 kilometres of upgraded and newly constructed roads incorporating climate-resilient design features and improved access to services for approximately 350,000 people.
The additional investment will finance the construction of 171 kilometres of paved roads and 104 kilometres of laterite roads, designed to withstand increasingly frequent extreme weather events.
Alongside transport improvements, the programme will invest in community infrastructure located within five kilometres of the new road corridors.
This includes agricultural processing facilities supporting women entrepreneurs, storage infrastructure, market areas, water supply points and upgrades to schools and healthcare facilities, ensuring transport investments generate wider social and economic benefits.
The programme also includes measures to strengthen institutional capability through improved road asset management, enhanced road safety systems and training for transport sector organisations.
Implementation will be led by Senegal’s Road Works and Management Agency under the supervision of the Ministry of Infrastructure.
Supporting agricultural value chains
The new transport corridors are expected to connect approximately 221,000 people more effectively to regional markets while improving access to education, healthcare and other essential public services.
The programme aligns with Senegal Vision 2050 and the country’s National Development Strategy 2025–2029, while supporting the government’s AgriConnect initiative to strengthen agricultural value chains and create new employment opportunities, particularly for young people and women.
Djibrilla Issa, World Bank Division Director for Senegal, Mauritania, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau and The Gambia, said improved connectivity delivers benefits well beyond transport.
“When a road connects an agricultural production area to an urban market, it does more than shorten a journey: it helps farmers get more value from their harvests, women entrepreneurs reach new markets, and communities access greater economic opportunities. It also improves access to schools, health centers, and other essential services.”
Project management perspective
The programme demonstrates the continued evolution of transport infrastructure from standalone road construction towards integrated regional development programmes with multiple economic and social objectives.
Delivering roads, community facilities and institutional reforms as part of a single programme significantly increases delivery complexity. Success depends not only on completing civil engineering works but also on coordinating land acquisition, environmental management, stakeholder engagement, community development and capacity building across several implementing organisations.
The emphasis on climate-resilient infrastructure also reflects changing priorities for transport programmes across developing economies. Rather than simply expanding road networks, project teams are increasingly expected to design assets capable of withstanding more frequent flooding and extreme weather while protecting long-term investment value. This requires stronger risk management, lifecycle planning and resilience engineering throughout project development.
For project professionals, the initiative illustrates how infrastructure delivery is becoming increasingly outcomes-focused. Measures of success extend beyond kilometres of road constructed to include improved agricultural productivity, stronger value chains, increased employment, better public services and enhanced regional economic resilience. Managing these broader benefits requires mature programme governance, effective performance monitoring and close collaboration between transport authorities, local communities, agricultural stakeholders and development partners throughout the delivery lifecycle.
