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AfDB to scale PET asphalt concrete solution to lessen African road maintenance backlogs

27th August 2025

By: Marleny Arnoldi

Senior Deputy Editor Online

     

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The African Development Bank (AfDB) has signed a letter of intent with three companies to advance cooperation in the deployment of innovative, climate-resilient road maintenance in Africa.

The agreement was signed with a consortium comprising the Shimizu Corporation, Kao Corporation and Nippon Road, on the sidelines of the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development, in Yokohama, Japan, on August 21.

The parties will formalise a framework for mutual cooperation, information- and knowledge-sharing, as well as the exploration of co-financing opportunities for sustainable infrastructure solutions in Africa.                                                                     

The consortium’s polyethylene terephthalate (PET) asphalt concrete technology, which is a reinforced asphalt mixture with recycled PET plastic bottles, was selected for the AfDB’s Sustainable Road Maintenance Programme for Africa in June.

The programme aims to offer climate-resilient solutions to protect infrastructure investments from the impacts of climate change.

The AfDB says the PET asphalt concrete solution demonstrates strong potential to address the growing backlog of road maintenance needs, while supporting circular economy principles.

Under the agreement with the consortium, the AfDB will facilitate coordination with governments, lead awareness-raising campaigns and support capacity building for local partners. The bank will also provide finance options for deployment of the technology.

In turn, Shimizu, Kao and Nippon will conduct demand and feasibility studies, test the application of its technology in various African contexts and assess investment opportunities for scaling when feasibility studies are promising.

Shimizu has already been testing the PET asphalt concrete at a site in Kenya since May.

 

Edited by Chanel de Bruyn
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor Online

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