African Railway Development and Intermodal Solutions: Mesela Nhlapo of the African Railway Industry Association Calls for People-Focused Investment

During the panel discussion, African Railway Development and Intermodal Solutions – Outlook for African Railways with Modal Shift from Roads to Rail at the AfDB Transport Forum 2024, Mrs. Mesela Nhlapo, Director of the African Railway Industry Association (ARIA), emphasised the need for a more inclusive and Africa-focused approach to railway development.

She began by advocating for greater gender diversity, stating, “I would like to see a better migration in this forum, where at least 50% of the forum is represented by women. We can’t be talking about diversity and not mentioning it.” Nhlapo then acknowledged that road transport remains the dominant mode in Africa, with 80% of freight moved by road. However, she stressed, “It’s not about who’s dominating who, but rather about how different transport modes work together.”

Nhlapo further emphasised the need for an Africa-centric approach, saying, “We can’t have a development that is not people-focused. We have to have a development that talks to the African people. We have to have investment that is Africa-focused.” Citing the African Union’s Agenda 2063, she questioned why African countries are still seeking external loans, advocating instead for investment within the continent: “Africans do not require loans. We need to invest in each other. I need to see an AfDB that does not give Transnet a loan, but rather gets equity from Transnet.”

Nhlapo also stressed the importance of African manufacturing and content in railway projects: “We need to ensure that once we have that migration, the manufacturing takes place in Africa. We must ensure that African content is increased on African projects. It cannot be negotiable.” She called for a unified rail master plan for Africa, saying, “We can’t have different rail master plans. We’re a single continent. One continent, one single market, one rail master plan.”

Concluding her remarks, Nhlapo urged for firm decisions that prioritise Africa’s interests, advocating for a move from road to rail on terms “defined by Africans for Africans.” She called for implementable plans backed by funding, warning that political considerations should not overshadow efforts to link people to the economy.