Evaluation of AfDB’s support to the transport Sector (2012–2023)

Project Overview

Steer worked for IDEV to deliver a major evaluation of the African Development Bank (AfDB) support to the transport sector from 2012 to 2023. Steer assessed how well the Bank supported the transport sector across Africa, including roads, railways, air transport, waterways, and urban mobility in advancing regional integration, inclusive economic growth, and trade facilitation.

Specifically, Steer brought deep sectoral and technical expertise to deliver two evaluations as part of the work:

1. A Cluster Evaluation of rail and aviation projects: an in-depth review of 16 AfDB-supported projects in the rail and aviation sectors to assess their relevance, coherence, efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability.
2. A transport Sector Evaluation – A comprehensive assessment of AfDB’s performance and strategic alignment across all transport sub-sectors, with a focus on regional transport strategies and cross-cutting themes.

Together, the evaluations provide robust evidence and practical recommendations to enhance the Bank’s impact and effectiveness in future transport sector operations.

Our Role

Steer provided high-level advisory and technical support throughout both evaluations, including:

• Development of in-depth case studies and analysis of Bank-supported projects, including site visits and stakeholder interviews.
• Evaluation of project performance across key criteria—relevance, coherence, efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability.
• Identification of institutional, financial, and environmental challenges impacting transport infrastructure delivery.
• Synthesis of lessons learned and formulation of actionable recommendations to inform AfDB’s strategic direction and programming.

Our cross-sector expertise allowed IDEV to deeply explore project design, execution capacity, sustainability, and regional policy alignment—areas critical for long-term infrastructure success.

Insights and Impact

1. Strengthening Evidence for Future Investment
   Across both evaluations, Steer’s insights reinforced the need for better integration of ancillary project components (e.g., gender equity, climate resilience), stronger implementation support, and clearer mechanisms to measure long-term development outcomes. These recommendations are directly influencing how AfDB shapes its future transport pipeline.
2. Enhancing Regional Integration and Connectivity 
   The evaluations affirmed the Bank’s success in promoting regional integration through cross-border rail, aviation, and road infrastructure. Projects such as the Nacala Rail Corridor and the Dakar-Diamniadio-AIBD Express Train demonstrated tangible improvements in trade, mobility, and urban connectivity.
3. Boosting Institutional Learning and Policy Coherence 
   Steer’s work supported IDEV in identifying policy alignment between AfDB investments and international frameworks (e.g., SDGs, AU Agenda 2063), as well as the Bank’s own “High 5s” priorities. Collaboration with development partners also emerged as a success factor, though with variation across regions.
4. Identifying Strategic Challenges and Mitigation Approaches 
   Both evaluations highlighted systemic challenges, including delays linked to Bank processes, limited implementation capacity in fragile states, and underinvestment in sustainability planning. Steer helped pinpoint mitigation approaches such as closer supervision, strengthened local institutions, and flexible financing instruments.

Positive Sector Impact

Rail and Aviation

The rail and aviation cluster evaluation called attention to the need for improved financial sustainability and outcome monitoring, while recognising the significant connectivity and trade benefits these sub-sectors bring. The findings support more targeted investments in major rail corridors and aviation safety initiatives, helping to unlock Africa’s growth potential.

Roads, Urban Mobility, and Waterways

The broader transport sector evaluation recognised the AfDB’s achievements in facilitating movement of goods and people, reducing travel times, and enabling economic development. It also called for improved climate resilience, stakeholder engagement, and gender inclusion in road and urban transport planning—areas where Steer’s strategic advice will continue to guide AfDB’s programming.

Conclusion

Through its work with IDEV, Steer has helped shape a pivotal evidence base for the future of transport investment in Africa. These evaluations are enabling the African Development Bank to refine its strategic focus, better tailor infrastructure solutions to regional contexts, and ensure that future projects deliver more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable outcomes for the continent.

Access both evaluation reports below:

• Sector-wide evaluation: Evaluation of the AfDB’s Support for the Transport Sector (2012-2023) | IDEV
• Cluster evaluation: Cluster Evaluation of AfDB Rail and Aviation Projects | IDEV