As Chad marks its 66th year of independence, the nation confronts a striking paradox: despite its vast territory and pivotal location in Central Africa, internal mobility remains heavily reliant on roads and an underdeveloped intercity transport network. The government has now elevated transport modernization to a top priority. But what kind of framework is needed to connect major cities like N’Djamena to Moundou, Sarh, Abéché, Mongo, Faya-Largeau, or Bol, ensuring safety, punctuality, and comfort befitting a nation striving for accelerated development?

An expansive nation, a still-fragile network

Spanning an immense 1,284,000 km², Chad’s sheer geographical scale presents inherent economic challenges. For its citizens, journeys between provinces can consume many hours, often an entire day. Roads continue to be the predominant mode of travel. For an extended period, Chad’s transport infrastructure suffered from an inadequate network and the complete absence of a railway system. Even a past World Bank assessment underscored the overwhelming dominance of road transport and the scarcity of regular intercity services.

Today, Chadian authorities are determined to enact change. In March 2026, the government formally identified territorial accessibility, infrastructure modernization, and enhanced national and international connectivity as critical objectives within the transport sector.

From informal services to an organized system

The real objective extends beyond simply increasing the number of vehicles. It involves constructing a comprehensive national intercity transport system. This entails establishing licensed companies, modern bus terminals, fixed schedules, standardized ticketing, mandatory technical inspections, compulsory insurance, professional driver training, and robust safety protocols. Currently, travelers often navigate between numerous private operators, each offering vastly different schedules, departure conditions, and comfort levels.

Why not establish a structured national network centered on key corridors?

Routes such as N’Djamena–Moundou–Sarh, N’Djamena–Mongo–Abéché, N’Djamena–Massakory–Bol, or N’Djamena–Faya-Largeau could be designated as priority axes, featuring daily departures and regulated fares. The aim wouldn’t necessarily be to create a single state-owned company, but rather to implement a system where the government sets the operational standards, and the private sector delivers the services.

The Senegalese model offers valuable insights for Chad. In Dakar, authorities have undertaken a significant restructuring of their public transport network, incorporating Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Regional Express Train (TER), and conventional buses. The initial phase of this restructuring program includes 400 new buses, 14 routes, two maintenance depots, and over 30 km of upgraded road infrastructure, all designed with an intermodal approach. Chad could adapt this strategy to its own context: a transport company’s effectiveness is maximized when it operates within an integrated network. For Chadian intercity travel, this translates to modern terminals at the outskirts of N’Djamena, designated stations in major towns, and synchronized connections.

Similarly, Rwanda demonstrates the benefits of stringent organization. Between 2024 and 2025, Kigali revamped its public transport, expanding from four to seven corridors while increasing the number of operators from three to thirteen. The government also invested in 200 new buses.

The lesson for Chad is clear: while vehicle numbers are important, consistency, regulated competition, and service quality are equally vital. A bus departing on time, with a transparent fare and a clearly displayed destination, would represent a significant advancement for travelers. Furthermore, intercity transport should not be viewed solely as a passenger service; it is also indispensable for commerce.

Farmers in Moundou require efficient means to transport their produce to N’Djamena. Livestock breeders need access to markets. Students in Abéché must be able to reach their universities. Patients need reliable access to medical facilities.

This underscores the necessity for road investments to complement and support transport service enhancements. In 2025, the World Bank approved $170 million to boost connectivity in the Lake Chad region, specifically funding the paving of 55 km between Liwa and Rig-Rig, 12 km of access roads to Bol, and 50 km of rural roads. These infrastructure developments must now be integrated into a cohesive national mobility strategy.

Considering the rail option

In the longer term, Chad must seriously explore railway development. Given its vast distances and substantial cargo volumes, the country cannot perpetually rely solely on trucks and buses for all its mobility requirements.

Rail could progressively link key economic zones to border regions and broader regional trade corridors. Indeed, the government has included railway network expansion among the projects under consideration within its transport sector action plan. However, rail infrastructure demands considerable investment. Therefore, the immediate priorities remain the modernization of the existing road network and the professionalization of bus transport services.

Chad’s unique model should be straightforward: it doesn’t need to replicate Dakar or Kigali entirely, but rather build its own framework around five core priorities: all-weather roads, professional transport companies, modern terminals, enhanced road safety, and affordable fares.

These fundamental elements must be augmented by digital ticketing systems, real-time vehicle tracking, routine technical inspections, and published schedules. After 66 years of independence, traveling between Chadian cities should no longer be an arduous undertaking. Transport is an essential, though often invisible, component of development. Without mobility, there is no national market; without a national market, true economic integration remains elusive. The Chad of 2030 must be equipped to answer a fundamental question: how can a citizen traverse the country safely, affordably, and within a predictable timeframe?

Only by addressing this imperative will the road transcend its role as merely a means of transit, becoming a genuine catalyst for national development.