The Sahel, a region spanning West and Central Africa, is no stranger to hardship. From its arid landscapes to its political challenges, the area has long been at the centre of discussions on security, development, and climate change. But beneath these more prominent issues lies a critical challenge that has received far less attention: transportation. The region’s current transport systems, largely inherited from the colonial era [1], are crumbling and inadequate. Built primarily to serve the resource extraction needs of European powers, these outdated roads and railways are now choking the region’s economic growth and isolating communities. However, the Sahel finds itself at a crossroads as the global conversation shifts toward sustainability. There is a growing recognition that green mobility can improve connectivity across the region and also help address pressing environmental challenges.
Colonial powers, particularly France, designed the transportation infrastructure of the Sahel with a singular goal in mind: extraction. Roads and railways were built to transport resources like cotton, gold, and uranium from the interior to coastal ports for export, not to connect local communities or promote economic development. This left the region with infrastructure that often bypassed rural areas, ignoring the needs of local populations [2]. Even after independence, many Sahelian countries continued to rely on this outdated system, which was ill-suited to the demands of a modern, connected economy. Today, much of this infrastructure has deteriorated. Roads are rough and often impassable during rainy seasons, and the lack of a reliable public transport system forces people to rely on old, inefficient vehicles that are both costly to maintain and environmentally harmful [3].
For the Sahel, transport is not just about getting from one place to another: it’s about access. Many rural communities are cut off from essential services like healthcare and education, not to mention markets where they could sell their goods. Without significant investment in sustainable transport, the region risks deepening its economic isolation. Yet, within this challenge lies an opportunity: the possibility of leapfrogging from fossil-fuel-based vehicles to cleaner, more efficient transport systems. Green mobility offers the Sahel a path toward a sustainable, self-sufficient future. By transitioning to electric vehicles, developing solar-powered public transportation, and building safer cycling networks, the Sahel could drastically improve connectivity while also reducing its carbon footprint [4].
The region is particularly well-placed to embrace this shift. With abundant solar energy potential, the Sahel could harness renewable power to fuel electric buses and trains. The African Development Bank’s Desert to Power initiative seeks to harness solar energy across the Sahel, providing affordable electricity that could support a green transport network [5]. Imagine a future where the streets of Bamako and Niamey are filled with quiet, emission-free electric buses, or where rural communities are linked by solar-powered minibuses, offering affordable and reliable transport. This would not only address the region’s transport challenges but also contribute to its broader climate goals. The shift to green mobility could reduce the Sahel’s reliance on imported fossil fuels, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and help mitigate the impacts of climate change, which have hit this already vulnerable region hard.
However, financing this transition presents a significant hurdle. Many Sahelian countries face substantial financial constraints, with limited public revenues, high levels of debt, and ongoing political instability. To make green mobility a reality, a variety of innovative financing solutions will be needed. International development organisations, such as the African Development Bank and the World Bank, have already recognised the importance of sustainable infrastructure and could provide crucial support through grants and low-interest loans [6]. These institutions understand that promoting green mobility in the Sahel is not just an environmental imperative but also a development necessity. By improving transport, the region can boost trade, create jobs, and lift people out of poverty.
Despite the promise of green mobility, the Sahel faces significant obstacles in realising this vision. Political instability in the region, marked by conflicts, changes in government, and uneven policy implementation, poses one of the primary challenges [7]. These conditions not only complicate project planning but can also disrupt ongoing infrastructure work and deter long-term investment. Governance issues, including the need for transparent decision-making and strong regulatory frameworks, are equally essential. Without governance structures that support sustainability, green transport projects could face inefficiencies, corruption, and delays.
Moreover, a transition to high-tech solutions requires capacity building at multiple levels [8]. New technologies such as electric vehicles and solar-powered systems demand specialised knowledge and maintenance skills that may be limited in the region. If the Sahel is to sustain green mobility over time, investments must extend beyond physical infrastructure to include training programs that develop a workforce capable of managing and maintaining these new systems. Failing to address these challenges could lead to reliance on foreign expertise, driving up costs and making local ownership of these projects harder to achieve.
One promising avenue is the issuance of green bonds, financial instruments designed to raise capital for environmentally friendly projects. Governments in the Sahel could issue these bonds to finance electric vehicle fleets, solar-powered public transport, and sustainable road networks. This would allow them to tap into global financial markets, where investors increasingly seek opportunities to support green initiatives. Furthermore, public-private partnerships could play a crucial role in financing the green transport revolution. By collaborating with international companies that specialise in renewable energy and electric vehicles, Sahelian governments could leverage private sector expertise and investment to build the necessary infrastructure.
Regional cooperation will also be essential. ECOWAS, the Economic Community of West African States, can help coordinate efforts across borders, ensuring that green mobility projects are not confined to individual countries but instead promote regional connectivity. Joint infrastructure projects could reduce costs and enhance economic integration, benefiting the region as a whole. By embracing green mobility, the region has the chance to build infrastructure that is truly its own, tailored to its specific needs and aspirations. A modern, green transport system would not only connect communities and reduce environmental damage but also empower the region to forge its path toward sustainable development.
Of course, financing such a transformation will require bold thinking, international collaboration, and innovative financial mechanisms. But the potential rewards are immense. A greener, more connected Sahel would improve the daily lives of millions of people, provide new economic opportunities, and position the region as a leader in Africa’s sustainable future. The road ahead may be long, but with the right investments and the political will to make it happen, the Sahel can drive toward a cleaner, more prosperous future.
About the author
Rim Essa is a strategic communications specialist with recent experience at UNDP, where she worked on AI research partnerships and international initiatives at the SDG AI Lab. She holds a Master’s in International Relations from the Università di Bologna and dual undergraduate degrees in Communications and Political Science. Her expertise spans cross-cultural team leadership, project management, and multilingual communication across global organisations.
