The African Development Bank has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Shimizu Corporation, Kao, and Nippon Road to foster collaboration in the deployment of innovative, climate-resilient road maintenance solutions in Africa.
The agreement was signed on Thursday, August 21, on the sidelines of the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama, by African Development Bank Vice President for Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialization Solomon Quayner and executives from Shimizu Corporation, Kao and Nippon Road.
The LoI will formally establish a framework for mutual cooperation, information and knowledge sharing, and exploring co-financing opportunities for sustainable infrastructure solutions across Africa.
The consortium’s PET asphalt concrete technology, a reinforced asphalt mixture made from recycled PET plastic bottles, was selected in June 2025 through a call for proposals under the World Bank’s Sustainable Road Maintenance Program for Africa (SRMPA). This solution shows strong potential to increase the sustainability of Africa’s road maintenance sector while supporting circular economy principles.
Under the agreement, the African Development Bank will facilitate coordination with governments, lead awareness campaigns, support capacity building of local partners, and explore financing options for technology implementation.
Shimizu Corporation, Kao and Nippon Road will conduct demand and feasibility studies to test the application of PET asphalt concrete in various African contexts and evaluate investment opportunities for scaling up based on successful results.
“The Sustainable Road Maintenance Program for Africa (SRMPA) is an innovative initiative by the World Bank that aims to provide climate-resilient solutions that protect infrastructure investments from the impacts of climate change,” Quainor said. “Partnering with Shimizu Corporation, Kao and Nippon Road will enable Africa to benefit from cutting-edge circular economy technologies while addressing growing road maintenance needs.”
Kazuya Osako, Managing Executive Officer and General Manager of the International Civil Engineering Division at Shimizu Corporation, said, “We believe that the key to successfully disseminating this technology in Africa is collaboration with local companies and partners.”
Osaka added that Shimizu Corporation has already started testing PET asphalt concrete in Kenya since May this year.
About Shimizu Corporation
Shimizu is engaged in civil engineering and construction and is committed to developing innovative solutions for sustainable infrastructure. Website: https://www.shimz.co.jp/
About Kao Corporation
Kao is involved in consumer products and chemical products, and is committed to providing innovative solutions to the infrastructure sector through its chemical business. Website: https://www.kao.com/global/ja/
About Nippon Road Co., Ltd.
Nippon Road Co., Ltd. is a group company of Shimizu Corporation, and mainly engages in road construction and paving, general civil engineering, sports facilities, and related businesses. Website: https://www.nipponroad.co.jp/english/
