In 2019, construction projects across Africa will begin, continue or reach their conclusions, bringing to various countries and cities important economic stimulators, updated infrastructure and new opportunities.

Here’s a look at some of the largest and most important construction projects happening around the continent, including notes on how they will impact local populations.

1. Bourgreg Valley Development (Rabat, Morocco)

Morocco’s $1 billion Bourgreg Valley Development project will bring new neighborhoods, commercial real estate and public spaces to 14,826 acres in the capital of Rabat. At the center of this project will be the Bank of Africa tower, which will stand 820 feet tall — second tallest in Africa only behind The Pinnacle tower in Nairobi, Kenya. 

The Bourgreg Valley Development project is more than just residential and commercial real estate, though. It will also include a house of arts and culture as well as the creation of natural ecological spaces and the preservation of cultivated land. If everything goes as planned, construction on Rabat’s Grand Theater, which is part of the project, will be finished by early 2019. 

The project aims to transform the urban landscape on both sides of the Bouregreg river and to enhance its attractiveness. According to Zarrou, the Director General of the Agency for the Development of the Bouregreg Valley, construction works of the project are “going well.”

2. Konza Technology City (Nairobi, Kenya)

The Kenyan government is making an enormous investment ($14.5 billion) to create a large technology hub just 64 kilometers south of Nairobi. Not only will this hub include data centers and facilities for light manufacturing and software development, it will also include neighborhoods, schools, shopping malls, hospitals and hotels.

3. Modderfontein New City (Johannesburg, South Africa)

Chinese firm Zendai Property Limited has started development activities for Modderfontein New City, an $8 billion project that will bring affordable housing, education facilities and a financial trade center to nearly 4,000 acres northeast of Johannesburg.

Zendai is offering an ambitious vision for Modderfontein New City’s future, suggesting that it can become the New York City of Africa and that it will someday serve as the capital city of the entire continent.

4. Maputo-Katembe Bridge (Maputo Bay, Mozambique)

The Maputo-Katembe Bridge became Africa’s longest suspension bridge when the $750 million project reached completion in late 2018. In 2019, this bridge will provide an important route across the Maputo Bay, reducing the travel time between Mozambique and South Africa and providing a more direct route for trade activity.

The project includes more than just a suspension bridge, though. The overall development also included 200 kilometers of roads and five smaller bridges located around Maputo Bay. During construction, this project also generated more than 3,000 jobs for the local population.

5. Walvis Bay Port Container Terminal (Walvis Bay, Namibia)

Namibia’s Walvis Bay serves as an important port and safe haven for sea vessels. In 2018, construction of a new Walvis Bay Port container terminal began. This new terminal will eventually broaden Namibia’s access to international markets, stimulate economic activity and provide new jobs to the local population.

This project also calls for new and modern port equipment, as well as training programs for those interested in becoming pilots and operators at the new container terminal. Completion of the project is expected in summer 2019.

6. Bridge Jinja (Kampala, Uganda)

In late 2018, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni cut the ribbon on Bridge Jinja, a 525-meter, $112 million cable-stayed bridge that creates an important connection between the capital city of Kampala on the west bank and other Ugandan cities and the Kenyan border on the east bank.

Given that Uganda is a landlocked country, this new bridge will provide an important import-export route through Kenya in 2019 and beyond.

7. Worker Training Academy (Cairo, Egypt)

Work is underway on Egypt’s New Administrative Capital, located 50 kilometers east of Cairo. One of the centerpieces of this new development is a worker-training academy that will occupy about 50 acres.

The academy will focus on training Egyptians construction workers on the latest and most advanced techniques and systems in the industry. Including this academy as part of the New Administrative Capital will help citizens gain jobs while also creating a workforce for future development in Egypt.

8. Caculo Cabaca Hydroelectric Plant (Dondo, Angola)

In 2017, Angolan officials broke ground on the Caculo Cabaca hydroelectric plant in the city of Dondo. Construction of the plant could last up to five years, but, once finished, it is expected to deliver electricity access to between 30% and 60% of the nation’s population.

The project is expected to create jobs for Angolans, and it will also serve to stimulate the economy as the country will be able to export some of the plant’s electricity to the nearby nations of Namibia and South Africa.

9. Pointe-Noire Special Economic Zone (Pointe-Noire, Republic of Congo)

The Pointe-Noire Special Economic Zone in the Republic of Congo is an in-development project that will cover nearly 9,000 acres near a strategically important port that also serves as a hub for the oil industry. It will bring vital infrastructure and manufacturing facilities to this key area that serves as the backbone of the country’s economy.

Once completed, the Pointe-Noire Special Economic Zone is expected to stimulate economic activities within the Republic of Congo, while also creating more than 100,000 jobs for Congolese citizens. The project is expected to generate $1.12 billion by 2022, $2.18 billion by 2026 and $3.57 billion by 2031.

10. North-South Corridor Project (Multiple Countries)

Africa’s population is expected to explode in the 21^st century, doubling from its current 1.2 billion to 2.4 billion by 2050. All those people will need significant infrastructure improvements and upgrades to traverse the continent and create economic activity that leads to jobs.

The North-South Corridor Project is perhaps Africa’s most ambitious infrastructure project, including roads and railways that span 6,000 miles across seven countries (Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa) at a cost of $1 billion.

What African city is most dynamic? JLL’s 2019 City Momentum Index covers 131 major established and emerging markets and identifies cities that have the strongest short-term economic and real estate market momentum. 

Although momentum in the global economy appears to have peaked, there are still many cities in the world where both real estate and economic momentum continue to be robust. JLL’s City Momentum Index (CMI) is now in its sixth iteration. This year it focuses purely on short-term momentum over a three-year horizon, tracking a range of socio-economic and commercial real estate indicators to identify attributes for success over the near term. It covers 131 major established and emerging business hubs across the globe.

The Momentum Index rankings identify the urban economies and real estate markets which are currently undergoing the most rapid growth. Cities that are growing quickly tend to punch above their weight in attracting companies and people; however, this can often lead to challenges – such as social inequality, congestion, and environmental degradation – that must be addressed to ensure short-term growth transitions into longer-term momentum.

The latest results highlight the East-West growth divide. Asia Pacific is home to 19 of the Top 20 cities in this year’s Index, reflecting the region’s continued rapid urbanization and economic growth. Overall, Indian and Chinese cities dominate the rankings, accounting for three-quarters of the Top 20. Vietnam, the Philippines, and Thailand are also represented. There are no cities in either Europe or the Americas in the Top 20. Only one city outside of Asia Pacific, Nairobi, ranks in the 20 most dynamic cities in the globe; and even in Nairobi there is a powerful Asian
influence with significant amounts of investment from China-focused mainly on infrastructure projects.

A common theme this year is that many of the top performing cities have strong links to the technology and innovation sector. The technology sector is a key driver of both real estate and economic momentum, and is propelled not only by the large dominant tech firms but also by a robust start-up culture. Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ho Chi Minh City, Shenzhen and Nairobi have all cultivated a thriving start-up culture which has helped to push them up the rankings.

WITH GROWTH COMES CHALLENGES

Nairobi is projected to be one of fastest-growing cities in the world in terms of population over the next five years, and this is matched by very robust economic growth. Innovation is becoming a key part of the economy and Nairobi has developed a specialism in app development. Absorbing this pace of migration is creating some issues.

Nairobi frequently ranks near the top of indices that address congestion; a heavy reliance on cars and buses ensures that traffic jams are a daily problem.
There are plans to improve this through the implementation of the ‘Missing Link Roads’ project along with the creation of three non-motorised traffic routes to ensure inclusivity in infrastructure development.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has urged local motor vehicle assemblers to innovate ways of producing quality vehicles that are affordable for Kenyans. The President said this will discourage the buying of imported used vehicles which are being sold at lower prices than those assembled locally.

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“We have to think outside the box. I encourage you to come up with real solutions in the motor vehicle industry that will benefit Kenyans,” he said.

The President spoke on Wednesday at State House in Mombasa when he met members of the Kenya Manufacturers Association.

They discussed the national automotive policy that is geared towards promoting the sector.

Manufacturing is one of the key pillars of the Big Four agenda through which the government aims to create jobs for the youth.