Vinci Concessions wins €1.3bn highway PPP in Kenya, its first in Africa

French President Emmanuel Macron and his Kenyan counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta were on hand in Paris yesterday to witness the signing of an initial agreement for a €1.3bn highway public-private partnership (PPP) in Kenya, led by Vinci Highways.

Its consortium, which includes Vinci Concessions and Meridiam SAS, will finance, build and operate the new, 175-km Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit Highway for 30 years.

Vinci Concessions’ first PPP in Africa, the project upgrades a trunk road into a modern, dual two-lane motorway to promote tourism, improve safety and cut travel time along this strategic transport axis in the Rift Valley.

A World Bank-standard environmental and social impact assessment will be carried out before the consortium, called Rift Valley Highway, can start work. 

Financial close of the PPP deal is expected by the end of 2021.

Construction, scheduled to last 42 months, will be undertaken by Vinci Construction subsidiaries Sogea-Satom in Kenya and Vinci Construction Terrassement. 

Photograph: The Rift Valley, Kenya, will get a two-lane motorway to promote tourism, improve safety and cut travel time along this strategic transport axis (Kiruriwiki/CC BY-SA 4.0)

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