Tunisia unveils plans for ambitious overland trade corridor to connect North Africa with the Sahel

Tunisia is advancing plans for a strategic overland trade corridor linking North Africa to the Sahel, as it seeks to reposition itself as a gateway between the Mediterranean and sub-Saharan Africa.

• Tunisia is planning a major overland trade corridor connecting North Africa to Sahel countries
• The corridor will link the Ras Jedir crossing with Libya to routes leading to Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Central African Republic.
• Developed in coordination with Libya, the project seeks to lower export costs, improve logistics, and promote economic integration.
• Although initial trade progress has been made, Tunisia and Niger recognize the need to expand and structure their commercial partnership to tap into the region's potential.

The project, announced by Tunisian Minister of Trade Samir Abid, will connect the Ras Jedir border crossing with Libya to inland routes stretching toward Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, and the Central African Republic.

The initiative is being developed in coordination with Libyan authorities to establish a continuous overland trade axis into landlocked Sahelian markets.

Speaking at the Tunisia-Niger Business Forum alongside Niger’s Trade Minister Abdoulaye Saidou, Abid said the corridor would “reduce the cost and time of export operations, ease logistics and transport challenges, and strengthen African economic integration.”

Trade push under AfCFTA

The project comes as Tunisia deepens its economic engagement with sub-Saharan Africa under the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Abid noted that Tunisia has already recorded nearly 400 export operations to African markets under the AfCFTA’s Guided Trade Initiative, spanning sectors such as mechanical and electrical components, textiles, and agri-food products.

Despite this progress, trade with Niger remains limited. Officials from both countries acknowledged that bilateral trade volumes are modest, underscoring untapped potential given Niger’s market demand and Tunisia’s industrial capacity.

Both sides agreed on the need to structure trade flows, diversify exports, promote industrial partnerships, and facilitate investment.

The Sahel region, home to more than 150 million people, presents a significant growth opportunity, particularly as countries like Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso seek alternative trade routes amid shifting regional alliances.

Strategic ambition amid challenges

Tunisia’s corridor aligns with broader regional shifts, including the rise of the Alliance of Sahel States and efforts by Sahelian countries to diversify trade partners.

By offering a shorter overland route to the Mediterranean, the corridor could reduce reliance on coastal West African ports and cut delivery times that currently stretch to two to three weeks.

However, the project faces challenges. Security concerns across southern Libya and parts of the Sahel, along with infrastructure gaps, could require significant investment—potentially running into billions of dollars—to upgrade roads, logistics systems, and border facilities.

If successfully implemented, the corridor could lower transport costs, boost intra-African trade which currently accounts for just about 15% of total African trade, and position Tunisia as a key node in Africa’s evolving trade network.