25/09/2026
NaMATA–UITP DAKAR BENCHMARKING VISIT | SEPTEMBER 21–25, 2026
NaMATA's Board has concluded a five-day benchmarking visit to Dakar, Senegal, facilitated by UITP aimed at learning from Dakar's public transport transformation and drawing lessons to support an integrated, sustainable and efficient transport system for the Nairobi Metropolitan Area (NMA).
Over the five days, the Board delegation engaged key institutions and visited major transport facilities, including CETUD, Dakar Mobilité/SUNU BRT, the TER railway system, maintenance facilities and the CETUD Operations Centre.
Key areas of learning:
- Governance & Institutional Coordination: Understanding CETUD's role as a metropolitan transport organising authority, and the value of coordinated planning, regulation and stakeholder engagement.
- BRT & e-BRT Operations: Insights into Dakar's electric BRT model, PPP/concession arrangements, infrastructure development, operations, ticketing, demand risk and integration with existing operators.
- Rail & Multimodal Integration: Lessons from the TER system on integrating rail with BRT, buses and paratransit into one connected metropolitan network.
- ITS & Transport Operations Management: The CETUD Operations Centre showcased integrated traffic management, BRT management, junction control, video surveillance, data systems and interoperability.
- Fleet & Depot Management: Exposure to preventive maintenance, mechanical and electrical systems, charging, cleaning, parking, customer relations and fleet lifecycle planning.
- Public Transport Reform & Integration: Dakar's experience underscores the importance of bringing existing operators into the transformation process while setting clear regulatory, operational and financial frameworks.
The visit gave the NaMATA Board a valuable opportunity to learn from Dakar's journey and reflect on how relevant approaches can be adapted for the NMA as the region works toward a more integrated public transport future.
