A new World Bank Group report has sharply criticized the state of transport and logistics across Africa, warning that failing infrastructure is a major contributor to food insecurity on the continent.
The report, titled “The Nexus Between Transport, Logistics, and Food Security in Africa” and cited by The Guardian, identifies “dysfunctional ports, failing logistics systems, poor transport infrastructure, and inadequate storage systems” as key factors making food staples more expensive and harder to access for millions.
According to the Bank, backlogged ports, impassable rural roads, and slow border procedures frequently result in food arriving “late, damaged, or not at all.”
“Shipping and ports are indispensable for food security in Africa,” the report said, noting that seaports handle 14% of all food imported and traded across the continent. For landlocked countries, that figure jumps to 22%, and for the lowest-income countries, 37%.
Despite their importance, many African ports are hampered by “poor infrastructure, outdated logistics management systems, low capacity, and other deficiencies,” causing costly delays in food supply chains.
The Bank noted that African ports are often the “first barrier to food security”, especially as most food imports come from Europe, South Asia, and beyond.
The report highlights that just 10 key seaports manage the bulk of Africa’s food imports, handling the equivalent of 78 billion kilocalories each year.
These ports are:
* Abidjan and San-Pédro (Côte d’Ivoire)
* Banjul (The Gambia)
* Cotonou (Benin)
* Dar es Salaam (Tanzania)
* Djibouti (Djibouti)
* Mogadishu (Somalia)
* Mombasa (Kenya)
* Port Sudan (Sudan)
* Toamasina (Madagascar)
The report was released just as Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, departed for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to attend the second United Nations Food Systems Summit, held from July 27 to 29, 2025. At the summit, Shettima is expected to present Nigeria’s national agenda for transforming agriculture, improving food security, and building climate-resilient value chains.
A key focus of this year’s summit will be advancing Africa’s coffee value chain, with emphasis on innovation, investment, and partnerships to boost sustainable agricultural systems across the continent.
