Addis Ababa Light Rail Expansion Moves Forward

Plans to expand Addis Ababa's light rail network are moving forward, more than a decade after the system opened as the first of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa.

The network opened in 2015 with two lines, north–south and east–west, crossing near the city centre. It was built to address congestion in a capital whose population growth had far outpaced its road network, and fares were set low enough to serve commuters on modest incomes.

The system's operating history illustrates a pattern common to transit projects across the region. Construction was completed on schedule with external financing and contracting. Sustaining operations proved harder. Vehicle availability fell as maintenance requirements accumulated, spare parts required foreign exchange that was in short supply, and headways lengthened.

Expansion therefore poses a question about sequencing: whether to extend the network or to restore the reliability of what exists. The two compete for the same maintenance capacity and the same foreign currency.

Addis Ababa's wider transport picture includes a bus rapid transit corridor and a large informal minibus sector that carries a substantial share of daily trips. Any assessment of the light rail's contribution has to account for how it connects to that network.