The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a $500,000 grant to fund a feasibility study for the Kigali Urban Cable Car Project—set to become sub-Saharan Africa’s first aerial urban transport network.
The grant, announced this week, will be drawn from the Bank’s Urban and Municipal Development Fund (UMDF) and is designed to prepare the $100 million mobility initiative for investment and implementation. The proposed 5.5 km system is expected to ease traffic congestion, reduce carbon emissions, and improve access to jobs and services across Rwanda’s capital.
Green transport meets urban ambition
Phase one of the Kigali cable car project will cover two strategic routes: one linking Nyabugogo Taxi Park to the Central Business District, and another connecting Kigali Convention Centre with Kigali Sports City. Key public venues such as BK Arena, Amahoro Stadium and the new Zaria Court development will also be integrated into the system.
Once completed, the cable car is expected to transport over 50,000 passengers daily in a journey lasting just 15 minutes from end to end. Construction is scheduled to begin in late 2026, with commissioning planned for 2028.
‘This transformative project aligns perfectly with the Bank’s vision for sustainable, green, climate-resilient urban mobility,’ said Dr Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group. ‘By financing Rwanda’s urban cable car system, we are investing in a scalable, low-carbon model that other African cities can replicate.’
Investing in inclusive infrastructure
The feasibility study will explore technical, environmental, and financial viability and draw lessons from successful urban aerial transport systems in cities such as La Paz, Bolivia, and Singapore. It will also assess access for persons with disabilities, job creation for women and low-income residents, and opportunities for skills development and technology transfer.
‘This pioneering feasibility study is a game-changing milestone,’ said Solomon Quaynor, AfDB’s Vice President for Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialisation. ‘Through the UMDF, we are laying the foundation for an investment-ready green infrastructure asset that offers both impact and returns.’
The UMDF, hosted by the AfDB, supports African cities in mobilising funding, developing partnerships, and preparing investment-grade infrastructure projects. It previously backed Rwanda’s Kigali Urban Transport Improvement initiative to attract international capital.
Blended finance to drive delivery
According to Rwanda’s Transport Development Agency Director General Imena Munyampenda, the cable car project will follow a Public-Private Partnership model. The $100 million funding structure is expected to include a blend of grants, concessional loans, technical assistance, and commercial capital.
In addition to the AfDB, partners in the financing mix are expected to include the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Africa50, the Trade and Development Bank (TDB), the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), and the Alliance for Green Infrastructure in Africa (AGIA), alongside private investors.
The project is anchored in Rwanda’s Green Taxonomy, its E-Mobility Strategy, and Climate and Nature Finance Strategy (CNFS). It supports the country’s climate targets of a 38 percent emissions cut by 2030 and net-zero by 2050.
Preparing Kigali for a greener future
With urbanisation on the rise across Africa, the Kigali cable car is being positioned as a model for environmentally friendly, inclusive, and financially viable transport infrastructure. Through the Africa Investment Forum and other global platforms, Rwanda aims to attract long-term investment into the project once feasibility work is complete.
If successful, Kigali’s aerial transit system could become a pioneering symbol of how African cities can rethink mobility in the face of climate challenges, infrastructure gaps, and rapid population growth.
Credit: Africabriefing
