Middle East & Africa News

Latest news and developments from Middle East and Africa region

• Riyadh public bus transport project to start operations by end-2020, Saudi Arabia

  July 1, 2020
  Saudi Public Transport Company (SAPTCO) has announced that the King Abdulaziz Public Bus Transport Network will start bus operations in Riyadh in the fourth quarter of 2020.

• BPTC and stc pay sign partnership agreement, Bahrain

  June 25, 2020
  Bahrain Public Transport Company (BPTC) has partnered with Riyadh-based stc pay to provide commuters with a contactless solution to recharge GO Cards.

• NAT receives delivery of trains for Cairo Metro Line 3, Egypt

  June 25, 2020
  Hyundai Rotem has started delivery of 256 metro cars (32 eight-car trains) ordered for Cairo metro Line 3. The line spans 45.5 km, covers 36 stations, and is being extended to serve the international airport.

• Rail projects in Nigeria delayed due to COVID-19 pandemic

  June 16, 2020
  The opening of the USD1.6 billion Lagos–Ibadan standard-gauge line has been delayed until end-2020 due to restrictions imposed by the spread of the novel coronavirus.

• Ethiopia–Sudan standard gauge project study secures funding

  June 16, 2020
  The African Development Bank (ADB) has awarded a USD1.2 million grant to the government of Ethiopia to fund a two-year comprehensive feasibility study for the construction of a 1,522-km standard gauge line from Addis Ababa to Khartoum.

• Electric bus operations start in Kampala, Uganda

  June 3, 2020
  Operations have commenced on two electric buses supplied by Kiira Motors Corporation in Kampala city.

• Riyadh–Dammam railway line resumes operations, Saudi Arabia

  June 1, 2020
  The Saudi Railways Organization (SRO) has resumed passenger services on the Riyadh–Dammam railway line.

• Cairo Metro resumes operations, Egypt

  May 30, 2020
  The Egyptian Company for Metro Management and Operation has resumed services on the Cairo Metro, with plans to possibly operate additional trains to avoid overcrowding. Services on the Cairo Metro were temporarily suspended due to the spread of the novel coronavirus.

• Swvl to resume operations in Kenya

  May 26, 2020
  The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has permitted Egypt based Swvl to resume its bus-hailing application (app) in Kenya.

• Stabus launches bus booking application, Ghana

  May 12, 2020
  Stabus, the transport start-up in Ghana, has launched a bus booking application.

• Government of South Africa to introduce HSR

  May 7, 2020
  The Department of Transport of South Africa has announced plans to introduce a new high speed rail (HSR) network.

• Volkswagen delivers 12 buses to city of Uíge, Angola

  May 4, 2020
  The city of Uíge has received the delivery of 12 ‘Marcopolo model’ Volkswagen buses. Each bus can accommodate up to 34 seated passengers.

• Mapna Group to modernise Tehran Metro Line 5, Iran

  April 23, 2020
  The Tehran Urban and Suburban railway company has awarded Mapna Group a contract to conduct modernisation works on Line 5 of the Tehran Metro.

• Fugro secures Cairo Monorail site characterisation contract, Egypt

  April 14, 2020
  Egypt-based Arab Contractors has awarded Fugro a contract to conduct geophysical and geotechnical studies for Phase II of the Cairo Monorail project.

• King Long supplies 213 buses to Saudi Arabia

  April 10, 2020
  Saudi Arabia’s Hajj Transport Company has received 213 buses from China-based Xiamen King Long United Automotive Industry Company.

• RZD announces plans to withdraw from infrastructure projects in Iran

  April 2, 2020
  Russian Railways has announced plans to cease the implementation of any activities related to infrastructure projects in Iran.

• Addis Ababa BRT secures USD93 million concessional loan from South Korea, Ethiopia

  April 1, 2020
  Ethiopia’s Addis Ababa Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and land information management system (LIMS) has received a concessional loan of USD93 million from South Korea.

• Serco Group signs a two-year contract extension with Dubai RTA, UAE

  March 30, 2020
  The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has awarded a two-year contract extension to Serco Group to continue operating and maintaining the Dubai Metro until September 2021.

• Ridership increase on Mwasalat buses in 2019

  March 18, 2020
  Mwasalat announced a ridership of over 9.2 million passengers in 2019 on its Muscat, Salalah, Suhar, and intercity bus services.

• Excavation of Mashhad Metro Line 3 tunnel completed, Iran

  March 9, 2020
  The excavation of an 8.5-km tunnel for Line 3 of the Mashhad Metro has been completed.