Ministry of Urban and Infrastructure (MoUI) revealed that approximately 142,500 km of roads have been constructed over the past 26 years. This was reported during the Ethiopian Roads Administration’s (ERA) 7th annual road research conference, themed “Sustainable Road Infrastructure Development and Management through Research.”
Speaking at the conference, MoUI State Minister Wondimu Seta emphasized the government’s commitment to expanding the national road network to drive socio-economic development. He noted that the road network grew from 26,500 km in 1997 to over 169,000 km in 2023, raising road density from 24.1 km per 1,000 square km to 148.3 km. Additionally, the average distance to access all-weather roads has decreased from 21 km to 4.4 km.
The construction sector plays a pivotal role in Ethiopia’s urban economy, accounting for approximately 20% of its output. As the second-largest source of employment and income for citizens, it has created around 2 million jobs. This industry is also a key contributor to government revenue, generating substantial income through corporate profit taxes and employee income taxes. Over the years, approximately 58 to 60% of the nation’s capital budget has consistently been directed towards the construction industry, which has experienced an average annual growth rate of 11%, a trend expected to persist.
Source: The Ethiopian Herald
