National Road 1 (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Road in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
National Road No. 1 is a major highway in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It runs from the western port of Banana though the cities of Kinshasa, Kananga, Mbuji-Mayi, Lubumbashi, and ends at Kasumbalesa in the southeast of the country where it connects with the T3 road in Zambia.[1] The road contains the Matadi Bridge, the largest bridge in the country, which spans the Congo River.
T3 at the Kasumbalesa border with Zambia| National Road 1 | |
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| Route information | |
| Length | 3,130 km (1,940 mi) |
| Major junctions | |
| West end | Moanda on the Atlantic Ocean |
| East end | T3 at the Kasumbalesa border with Zambia |
| Location | |
| Country | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Provinces | Kongo Central, Kinshasa, Kwango, Kwilu, Kasaï, Kasaï-Central, Kasaï-Oriental, Lomami, Haut-Lomami, Lualaba, Haut-Katanga |
| Major cities | Kinshasa, Kananga, Mbuji-Mayi, Lubumbashi |
| Highway system | |
Rebuilding
In 2008, following the Sicomines minerals for infrastructure deal, the DRC awarded a no bid contract to China Railway rebuild several sections of the N1 and collect tolls. According to banking data made public by the Congo Hold-Up leaks, some of the toll revenue was redirected to the relatives and entourage of then president Joseph Kabila.[2]
In 2019, the African Development Bank provided a XUA 50,570,000 loan to rehabilitate the section between Kinshasa and Batshamba, which was completed in 2021.[3][1] In 2022, the ADB approved another $250 million for the section between Mbuji-Mayi and Kananga.[4]
