By Bamidele Famoofo
WorldStage– The African Development Bank Group is deepening its partnership with Germany to advance modern, sustainable, and integrated transport systems across the continent.
During a mission to Germany in the last quarter of 2025, a delegation from the Bank Group led by Mike Salawou, Director of the Infrastructure and Urban Development Department, held extensive discussions with various government bodies associated with transportation infrastructure and digital connectivity.
The group met with DB Engineering & Consulting (DB E&C), the engineering and consulting arm of Deutsche Bahn, Germany’s national railway company. Their discussions highlighted how advanced skills development and STEM-focused training can support African countries as they modernize their rail sectors. The team visited the DB Railway Academy in Potsdam – one of the world’s leading railway training centres offering more than 2,500 training courses and serving 250,000 participants annually since 1995.
A Letter of Intent (LOI) signed between the Bank Group and DB E&C, will establish a framework for collaboration on a feasibility study for an African Rail Competence Centre. The proposed centre will serve as a hub for knowledge, innovation, and skills development in railway systems, supporting the modernization and expansion of Africa’s rail infrastructure. Both parties agreed to explore different institutional models—decentralized, cooperative, and centralized—to identify the most suitable option for the continent.
Commenting on the partnership, Salawou, said: “This partnership marks a significant milestone for Africa’s railway sector. By leveraging Deutsche Bahn’s expertise and experience, we are laying the foundation for a centre that will build local capacity, enhance technical skills, and support sustainable and efficient rail systems across the continent. Strategic collaborations like this are essential to launch a continental wide skills revolution and build a resilient infrastructure in Africa.”
The delegation noted that railways within Germany’s multimodal transport system provide valuable lessons. Integrated rail, tram, bus, and cycling networks create dense and walkable urban areas around stations, enabling transit-oriented development.
He also said “German cities illustrate how coordinated land-use planning paired with reliable rail services reduces car dependency while stimulating mixed-use development, economic activity, and sustainable mobility. African cities can draw from these lessons as they expand their rail systems, using multimodal and TOD principles to promote compact growth, enhance accessibility, and support climate-resilient urban development”.
Germany and AfDB to partner on SME support, capacity building for transportation, critical minerals and electric vehicle supply chains.
Following the signing of the agreement, the delegation continued a further round of discussions with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), which confirmed its support for capacity-building initiatives through its implementing agency, the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).
The delegation also met with other key German institutions, including the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV), the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), and KfW IPEX-Bank, to advance the Bank’s broader priority agenda, such as regional economic corridor development, critical minerals and electric vehicle supply chain initiatives, and Small and Medium-size Enterprise (SME) capacity building for infrastructure projects.
The Bank delegation also held talks with KfW IPEX-Bank to explore opportunities for strengthened cooperation and co-investment in transformative infrastructure projects across Africa. Discussions focused on major cross-border and national projects, including the Lobito Corridor, the Abidjan–Lagos Corridor Highway, the Uganda–Kenya Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), and Ethiopia’s Bishoftu International Airport (BIA). Both institutions reaffirmed their commitment to advancing sustainable, high-quality infrastructure that enhances connectivity, accelerates economic integration, and supports long-term development.
As part of the mission, the team also visited the EUREF Campus in Berlin, gaining insights into innovative urban development models, clean energy solutions, and smart mobility approaches, reinforcing the mission’s broader emphasis on sustainable and future-oriented transport development.
Stefan Geisperger, COO International Business, DB E&C, said: “At DB Engineering & Consulting, we believe that building sustainable railway systems goes hand in hand with developing local expertise. Together with the African Development Bank, we are ready to create long-term, collaborative training programs that empower local professionals with the technical know-how needed to design, operate and maintain modern rail infrastructure.
He added that their goal was to foster partnerships that create lasting impact, benefiting both Africa’s growing railway infrastructure and our shared commitment in Germany to advancing smart, resilient, and connected mobility solutions.”
The BMZ also emphasized its long-standing commitment to supporting Africa’s development.
Daphne Gross-Jansen, Deputy Head of Division for Energy, Urban Development, and Mobility, BMZ, said “BMZ is committed to supporting Africa’s economic and social development at a par with reaching international climate commitments and building mutually beneficial economic relationships,”.
“A cooperation with AfDB and Deutsche Bahn on capacity building and training for the railroad sector creates job opportunities, builds a favourable environment for private sector investments in the rail as well as the energy and other related sectors. Deutsche Bahn Group contributes expertise across all these fields. The cooperation also is a welcome opportunity to support the Bank’s goal of building a fully electrified railroad network across the continent,” she added.
