Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan and African Development Bank (AfDB) President Sidi Ould Tah officially launched the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Phase II project over the weekend.
The new corridor delivers 20.3 km of dedicated BRT infrastructure, two flyovers, 26 passenger stations, a large bus depot, two off-road terminals, four feeder stations and a pedestrian bridge.
The AfDB and Africa Growing Together Fund financed the project with $155 million, while the Tanzania National Roads Agency implemented the development.
The corridor connects Mbagala with central Dar es Salaam through Kilwa and Kawawa roads and links with the first phase of the BRT network. “Comprehensive transport is critical in the development of a nation,” Suluhu Hassan said.
Suluhu Hassan said the development forms part of a wider plan to improve mobility in Dar es Salaam and eventually extend services to the neighbouring Coast Region.
Passenger services began in October 2025. Travel times along one of the city’s busiest routes have since fallen from about 90 minutes to 30 minutes, while daily passenger numbers have tripled to approximately 90 000. “This is not only the completion of a transport project,” Ould Tah said.
“It is the delivery of a national vision: a vision of a modern, connected, inclusive and productive Dar es Salaam, where mobility supports opportunity, competitiveness, shared prosperity and improved quality of life.”
Once fully operational, the BRT fleet will include 250 clean-energy buses. AfDB expects the system to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions along the corridor by 76%, from 250 tonnes to 60 tonnes.
Dedicated services have also been introduced for learners, who previously struggled through crowded morning transport and frequently arrived late for school. “For the people of Dar es Salaam, the value of this project will not be measured only in kilometres of road, stations or buses,” Ould Tah said.
“It will be measured in shorter journeys, safer travel, cleaner air, better access to jobs and services, and more time returned to families and communities.”
The project created employment during construction, with women accounting for 13% of the workforce. The development also strengthened transport institutions, technical capacity and road safety systems.
AfDB’s active portfolio in Tanzania stands at approximately $4 billion across 30 operations, with infrastructure accounting for about 81% of commitments.
–AfDB/ChannelAfrica–
