A groundbreaking step toward the modernization of urban transport systems across Africa was taken yesterday at the IV International Transport Summit in Moscow, as the UrbanTransportData portal officially expanded its reach to the continent’s megacities.
The platform, designed for the comparative analysis of transport infrastructure across the globe, currently unites 32 cities worldwide with a database of nearly 600 indicators, all processed and standardized under unified criteria. Its unique methodology allows participating cities to assess their transport systems within their specific geographical and economic contexts, while also benchmarking against global best practices.
In what has been described as the largest expansion in the project’s history, 17 new cities joined the initiative, including 10 African capitals: Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Banjul (The Gambia), Windhoek (Namibia), Kampala (Uganda), Lilongwe (Malawi), Lusaka (Zambia), Nairobi (Kenya), Maputo (Mozambique), Freetown (Sierra Leone), and Harare (Zimbabwe).
Analysts hailed this expansion as a turning point for African urban mobility, offering cities the tools to systematically gather, process, and share transport data. By leveraging 50 key indicators, African capitals can now collaborate on joint research, identify common challenges, and map out viable solutions tailored to their local realities.
“Understanding today’s transport landscape is the first step toward building tomorrow’s modern mobility systems,” project coordinators emphasized, noting that the initiative provides not just data analysis, but also knowledge exchange and innovation-sharing opportunities.
The UrbanTransportData project, driven by the Moscow Transport Complex, is encouraging further participation from African megacities. Applications can be submitted via the official portal or by contacting the team directly at UrbanTransportData@mos.ru