The bustling Port-Bouët district in southern Abidjan has seen its rue des Caraïbes closed to all traffic since Wednesday, July 15. Authorities have announced the closure will last two and a half months to facilitate construction of a critical railway bridge for Abidjan’s first metro line. Normal traffic flow is expected to resume on September 30.
According to official communications from the Abidjan Metro Project and Agence de Gestion des Routes, motorists are urged to follow the revised traffic plan and observe all safety measures around the construction zone. This temporary closure aligns with the fast-tracked timeline of Côte d’Ivoire’s inaugural aerial metro line.
Expanding connectivity: a 37.4 km journey across seven districts
The upcoming Ligne 1 metro will connect Anyama, north of the economic capital, to Félix Houphouët-Boigny International Airport in Port-Bouët, spanning 37.4 kilometers through seven districts. Once operational, the automated metro is projected to transport over 500,000 passengers daily, completing the route in just 50 minutes—a speed roughly eight times faster than peak-hour car travel.
The infrastructure will feature 18 stations, 24 bridges, a lagoon-spanning viaduct, and 34 pedestrian footbridges. Progress is advancing rapidly: by June, civil engineering works on the lagoon crossing were nearly complete, with 12 of the 24 planned bridge decks already installed. The full metro system is slated to enter service by the end of 2028.
French-led consortium behind the transformative project
The metro is being built by a French-led consortium comprising Bouygues Travaux Publics, Alstom, Colas Rail, and Keolis. Bouygues oversees civil engineering and rolling stock procurement, while Keolis will manage operations for 15 years post-completion.
The total investment is estimated at approximately €1.36 billion, largely financed by France through the French Development Agency and loans from the French Treasury. This funding structure positions the Abidjan metro as one of the most significant French infrastructure investments in West Africa to date.
Addressing Abidjan’s chronic congestion crisis
With around 5.5 million residents in its metropolitan area, Abidjan faces severe traffic congestion due to the lack of high-capacity public transport. Port-Bouët, a coastal district in the south housing the international airport and industrial zones, bears the brunt of these delays. The new metro aims to alleviate road network pressure by offering a fast, dependable alternative to buses and informal taxis, while also generating thousands of local jobs during both construction and operation.
Strategic implications for France in francophone Africa
From Paris’s perspective, the Abidjan metro serves as both an economic and diplomatic asset in francophone Africa. The project underscores France’s strategy of financing high-impact infrastructure in its former colonies, where French firms maintain a competitive edge over rivals such as China and Turkey.
Success in Côte d’Ivoire could pave the way for similar ventures in neighboring countries like Senegal and Guinea, reinforcing France’s influence. As work progresses at a steady pace, the closure of rue des Caraïbes marks one of the final critical phases before track laying and the deployment of Alstom trains across the entire route.
