South Sudan breaks ground for Naivasha dry port to ease trade costs

South Sudan has begun construction of a dedicated dry port in Naivasha, Kenya, in a move aimed at improving cargo clearance, reducing transport delays and easing the cost of importing goods into the landlocked country.

The groundbreaking ceremony took place on Thursday, 8 October 2026, at the Naivasha Special Economic Zone, making South Sudan the first of several regional countries allocated land at the site to begin developing its own logistics facility.

Speaking at the ceremony, South Sudan’s Ambassador to Kenya, Simon Juach Deng, said the facility would improve cargo tracking and coordination between the two countries.

“What this will do is going to help us ease the congestion at the Mombasa port where containers destined for South Sudan. Most of them will be shipped there, where we can be able to manage tracking them easily,” Deng said, according to Daily Nation.

Deng added that the dry port would provide a longer-term solution to cargo congestion and help protect South Sudanese traders from losses caused by shipping delays.

Kenya’s Public Service Cabinet Secretary, Geoffrey Ruku, who represented Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir, said the project would strengthen the region’s role as a logistics and trade hub.

“The establishment of the logistics facilities in Naivasha will boost trade and turn the area into an economic hub and trade gateway in East and Central Africa,” Ruku said.

He added that South Sudan’s decision to begin construction would help accelerate cargo movement and strengthen regional commerce.

“With South Sudan taking the lead, Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda are next in line. This investment will accelerate cargo evacuation, boost intra-regional trade, improve turnaround times along the Northern Corridor and significantly reduce congestion at Mombasa Port,” Ruku said.

South Sudan’s Undersecretary in the Ministry of Transport, Paul Dhel Gum, described the facility as a strategic economic gateway that would improve access to the Port of Mombasa, facilitate imports and exports, and strengthen regional trade cooperation.

Gum also indicated that South Sudan was seeking additional land in other Kenyan special economic zones, including Mombasa and the Malaba–Busia area, to improve cargo handling and transportation to Juba.

The project will occupy approximately 10 hectares within the Naivasha Special Economic Zone. Once operational, it is expected to allow cargo arriving at Mombasa to be transported by rail to Naivasha for customs clearance, storage and consolidation before onward delivery to South Sudan.

The development follows concerns raised by President Salva Kiir during talks with Kenyan President William Ruto in Nairobi over high cargo-handling fees affecting South Sudan-bound shipments. Ruto pledged to work with relevant Kenyan institutions and South Sudanese officials to address the concerns.

The dry port is expected to improve the movement of goods along the Northern Corridor, a major trade route linking the Port of Mombasa to landlocked countries in East and Central Africa.

However, its impact on the cost of goods in South Sudan will depend on efficient operations, reliable transport connections and whether savings in cargo handling and transit are passed on to traders and consumers.