Abstract
Against the backdrop of an increasing demand for efficient, effective, and sustainable infrastructure this chapter uses data from two rapid railway transportation projects, the Gautrain in South Africa and the Addis Ababa City Light Rail Transit (AA-LRT) System in Ethiopia, to explore how capital-intensive infrastructure is delivered in Africa despite the many bottlenecks in the environment. Adopting a comparative approach, we illustrate how the two “megaprojects” were organized to deliver on the intended objectives and how they dealt with complex interfaces with the surrounding contexts. In each case, we evaluate how the project was sponsored and organized, the institutions surrounding the project, and whether there was a trade-off between project efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability Specifically, we find that project governance is directly influenced by the political and socio-cultural environment surrounding the megaproject. Therefore, we argue that project organization to deliver large infrastructure in Africa is not a one-size-fits-all solution.