Kenya and Uganda continue to advance plans to extend the Standard Gauge Railway toward the Uganda border as part of broader regional transport infrastructure improvements. The railway corridor is expected to connect Kenya’s existing SGR network with Uganda’s planned railway system. This is to further strength cross-border transport and trade within the East African Community.
Scope of the Project
The project involves extending Kenya’s railway from Naivasha through Kisumu to Malaba while Uganda builds a connecting railway from Malaba to Kampala. Once complete, the railway corridor will support passenger and freight transport between the two countries. Moreover, it will enhance cargo movement along the Northern Corridor linking inland economies to the Port of Mombasa.
Government officials from both countries have been coordinating technical preparations and policy agreements required to move the project forward. These preparations include feasibility studies, route planning, and stakeholder consultations aimed. This is to ensure the railway expansion supports economic development across the region.
The railway extension is part of the broader East African Railway Master Plan, which aims to create a modern rail network connecting Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Recent developments indicate that the project has now moved from planning to implementation. As reported in our latest coverage, construction of the $8 billion Nairobi–Kampala Standard Gauge Railway is scheduled to begin on March 20. This marks a major milestone in East Africa’s regional railway integration.
Also read: Kenya-Uganda SGR Construction Project to Resume
Kenya-Uganda SGR Extension Cost
The Department of Transport of the State has allocated a Ksh2.1 trillion plan that will be utilized in the extension of the SGR to Kisumu, Malaba and Isiolo by the end of June 2027. As for now the SGR railway that runs from Mombasa to Naivasha was financed by the Chinese at a budget of Ksh656.1 billion. This plan which is lifted from the previous Kenyan government era grand scheme on SGR is part of the Sh3.42 trillion Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET).
In the year 2014, the Government of Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda entered a tripartite agreement to build a standard gauge railway that runs from Mombasa through Kampala to Rwandan capital Kigali. However the Kenya-Uganda SGR construction was cut abruptly as a result of the Chinese declining to fund the final phase of the modern railway line after not reaching an agreement with the government of Uganda.
Overview of the Project
Project Name: Nairobi–Kampala Standard Gauge Railway
Project Type: Cross-border railway infrastructure
Location: Kenya and Uganda
Route: Nairobi – Naivasha – Kisumu – Malaba – Kampala
Estimated Cost:
- Kenya section (Naivasha–Kisumu–Malaba): $5–5.5 billion
- Uganda section (Malaba–Kampala): $2.7–3 billion
Total corridor cost: about $8 billion
Railway Length:
- Kenya section: approx. 475 km
- Uganda section: approx. 273 km
Construction Launch: March 20, 2026
Expected Completion: 2028
Key Benefits
- Reduce travel time between Nairobi and Kampala from 14 hours to about 4 hours
- Lower freight transport costs by about 35%
- Improve logistics along the Northern Corridor
- Strengthen regional trade integration
Project Team
Project Owners
- Government of Kenya
- Government of Uganda
Implementing Agencies
Main Contractor (Uganda Section)
- Yapı Merkezi
Government Ministries
Regional Coordination Body
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