WAEMU road network: The rate of deterioration increased by 32% between 2022 and 2023

The findings are undeniable, and the situation is "worrying and untenable" for public authorities. Despite investments and regulatory frameworks, the community road network of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) is suffering alarming deterioration.

At the opening of a national workshop on the implementation of UEMOA Regulation No. 14, held this Wednesday in Dakar, Abdoulaye Guèye, Secretary General of the Ministry of Infrastructure, sounded the alarm. Between 2022 and 2023, the rate of deterioration of the community road network jumped by 32%. The cause: persistent overloading and the widespread use of modified or non-compliant trucks.

The figures for April 2026 in Senegal perfectly illustrate the scale of the crisis. Of the 148,885 heavy vehicles inspected, 47.71% were overloaded. That's one truck for every two inspections. This is despite the 20% tolerance currently applied during weighing, according to Mr. Guèye, as reported by the Senegalese Press Agency (APS). For public finances, the cost of this indiscipline is immense. Studies by the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) demonstrate that axle overload drastically reduces the lifespan of roads and causes maintenance budgets to skyrocket.

Adopted in December 2005, UEMOA Regulation No. 14 aimed to harmonize the control of the dimensions and weight of heavy vehicles, notably by setting the maximum axle load at 11.5 tonnes. The objective at the time was to reduce the overload rate to below 10% within five years.

"Fourteen years later, it is easy to see that achieving this objective remains uncertain," lamented Mr. Guèye, recalling that at the end of the UEMOA experts' meeting in Bamako in November 2024, no member state had yet fully implemented this text.

As a leader in the sub-region, Senegal, which has been implementing this regulation since February 9, 2012, has 24 operational fixed weigh stations and 5 mobile teams. Our country thus boasts the densest network in the WAEMU region. These investments have helped to reduce aggressive driving on the roads.

However, further efforts are needed to achieve full harmonization. Senegal still applies a 20% tolerance for surcharges, while the Lomé Ministerial Declaration recommends a threshold of 15%. Furthermore, the national system of fines is not yet fully aligned with community standards.