Chinese Government pledges $169.4 million loan for the Tsangano-Neno-Mwanza Road Project

On October 12, 2015, the Chinese Government pledged to provide a loan to the Government of Malawi worth $169.4 million for the Tsangano-Neno-Mwanza Road Project (also known as the Neno-Mwanza Road Project and the Ntcheu-Tsangano-Neno-Mwanza Turn-Off Project). The loan would reportedly be of a concessional nature, but the interest rate, grace period, and maturity are unknown. Construction of the project was ultimately undertaken by the Engineers Department of the Malawi Defence Forces. The road is reportedly 140 km in length. Work commenced April 3, 2018, and a groundbreaking was held June 10, 2018. The expected completion date of the project was April 2019. On May 11, 2019, it was reported that the project was near completion. The Malawi National Transport Master Plan estimates a completion date between 2022 and 2027.

Additional details

1. As of July 2023, AidData finds no evidence that the Chinese Government loan was ever finalized and officially committed-to; therefore, this project is status-coded as a pledge rather than a commitment or being in implementation for the time being. 2. It was also reported that China Eximbank may have provided the loan for this project in lieu of the Chinese Government; however, it is unclear whether such a loan was ever formally approved.

Number of official sources

5

Number of total sources

14