Transport in Chad

Chad is landlocked, so roads connect most towns with each other and with external ports. The N’Djamena–Douala corridor in Cameroon is about 1,700 kilometres long and carries around 80% of Chad’s import and export traffic. Poor road surfaces, flooding and seasonal interruptions increase travel time and transport costs, especially during the rainy season. The Ministry of Infrastructure, Landlockedness and Road Maintenance, commonly referred to as MIDER, is responsible for roads, connectivity and maintenance. Current infrastructure work includes planned rehabilitation of 494 kilometres of climate-resilient roads and maintenance of 577 kilometres. Projects include the 72.3-kilometre Kyabé–Singako road and the 49.5-kilometre Kyabé–Mayo connection with a 55-metre bridge, with completion planned for 2029. The Chad Connectivity and Integration Project also covers a 55-kilometre section of the Trans-Saharan Highway between Liwa and Rig Rig, 12 kilometres of access roads near Bol and 50 kilometres of rural roads, with an expected benefit for about 3.8 million people. In N’Djamena, everyday public transport uses private minibuses, taxis, motorcycle taxis and informal vehicles often called clando. Motorcycle taxis have operated since about 1990 and reach some streets that minibuses do not serve. Historically, many services had no fixed stops, published timetables or stable fares, so passengers commonly negotiated the price. Peripheral neighbourhoods generally have weaker coverage. A 2025 regulation requires transport businesses to obtain an agrément de transport from the responsible ministry, enroll with the Comité Multisectoriel de Pilotage du Transport Urbain, receive an identification number and display prescribed colours and visible numbers. Motorcycle-taxi drivers must wear helmets. The regulation provided a 60-day implementation period beginning on 7 April 2026, followed by inspections and possible sanctions, although practical enforcement and coverage may vary. Chad has no reliably documented domestic railway network or regular passenger rail service. A functional regional alternative combines Camrail trains from Douala through Yaoundé toward Ngaoundéré with road transport from Ngaoundéré to N’Djamena. Air transport is available through N’Djamena/Hassan Djamous International Airport and selected domestic airports. Moundou is open to public air transport, while other domestic connections and schedules can change. N’Djamena airport provides customs, air-traffic services, handling and security around the clock, and its published procedures support both instrument and visual flights. The Ministry of Transport, Civil Aviation and Meteorology, known as MTACM, oversees transport and civil aviation; ADAC and ASECNA also have aviation and airspace responsibilities. Passengers must comply with airline, airport, customs, immigration and health requirements, and fares are not a stable nationwide standard. Water transport is seasonal. The Chari River extends for about 1,200 kilometres and the Logone for about 1,000 kilometres, while Lake Chad is shallow and mainly supports small boats. Ferries, dugout canoes and local crossings operate in some areas, but services remain largely informal. Water levels, sandbanks, vegetation and security conditions strongly affect cost and travel time. A 2025 project sought to improve navigation on Lake Chad, but no consistently documented national navigation administration provides a single timetable or price system. Motorcycles and three-wheelers are central to daily mobility. WHO data for 2021 listed about 420,594 motorized two- and three-wheelers, 130,291 four-wheel vehicles, 20,737 heavy trucks and 9,053 buses. Motorized vehicles require periodic inspection, and third-party liability insurance is required by law. National data do not establish a reliable modal split for cycling and walking, and there is no documented nationwide network of cycle paths or standardized pedestrian facilities. Walking and cycling remain practical local or feeder options where public transport is weak. Road rules include a general maximum speed of 30 km/h in built-up areas and 90 km/h on rural roads and motorways, although local authorities may change the limit. The blood-alcohol limit is 0.04 g/dl. Driving under the influence of drugs is prohibited, and drivers may not use a handheld or hands-free phone. Motorcycle drivers and passengers must wear helmets on all road types; the law does not expressly state that the helmet must be fastened. Children may ride as passengers from the age of five. Seat belts are required, but not for every seating position, and Chad has no national child-restraint law. No national rules were identified for professional drivers’ driving and rest periods or for a Good Samaritan guarantee after a crash. Road safety is a serious concern. WHO estimated 4,533 traffic deaths in Chad in 2021, equal to 26.4 deaths per 100,000 people; the reported figure for 2018 was 254 deaths. Chad has a national road-safety strategy with a target of reducing deaths by 50%, but it was only partly financed. The risks are especially relevant for motorcycle taxis, pedestrians and informal services. The main environmental transport concerns are road failure, flooding, erosion and heat rather than a reliable national transport-emissions inventory. Drainage works in N’Djamena included cleaning 250 kilometres of drainage network in 2024, and road reprofiling is used to improve water flow. Climate-adaptation financing for the Kyabé–Singako project and investment in drainage, bridges and all-season roads support more reliable transport.