Dodoma, Tanzania’s capital since 1974, is undergoing rapid transformation driven by urban growth and the relocation of national government functions. In 2016, the Tanzanian government reaffirmed its commitment to shifting the capital from Dar es Salaam, prompting major investments and the movement of ministries and agencies to Dodoma. This development has come on top of the city’s population growth, which has increased from 410,956 people in 2012 to 765,179 people in 2022—an annual growth rate of 6.4 percent. Furthermore, its built-up area has expanded more than 440 percent since 2000. But with opportunity comes challenge: the city’s infrastructure has struggled to keep pace, and its transport systems are increasingly strained by congestion, poor connectivity, and climate vulnerability.

The Dodoma Integrated and Sustainable Transport (DIST) project, financed by a $200 million IDA credit from the World Bank, is designed to address these challenges head-on. With over 430,000 expected beneficiaries and more than 10,000 jobs expected to be created, DIST goes beyond a conventional infrastructure project: it is a comprehensive strategy to build a resilient, inclusive, and climate-smart city.

The DIST project tackles Dodoma’s growing mobility and infrastructure challenges through a combination of strategic investments and institutional strengthening. It focuses on upgrading key corridors that connect major demand centers—such as the Standard Gauge Railway station, airport, markets, and hospitals—while enhancing walking and cycling infrastructure and improving access to the central business district. These interventions are designed to ease congestion, improve safety, and make the city more accessible for all users, particularly pedestrians, cyclists, and public transport passengers. More than 750 public transport drivers and operators will benefit directly, and the broader improvements are expected to boost the city’s economic output by two percent.

One of the project’s key aspects is its integration of disaster risk management and climate resilience. GFDRR played a critical role in embedding these principles from the earliest stages. Through its Resilient Mobility in Tanzania’s Intermediate Cities grant, which was financed by the Japan-World Bank Program for Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Management in Developing Countries, GFDRR supported vulnerability assessments, flood modeling, and transport simulations that informed the design of climate-resilient corridors and drainage systems. These diagnostics helped identify critical locations and alternative routes to ensure continuity of access during extreme weather events.

GFDRR’s support also extended to institutional strengthening. Training sessions and workshops equipped officials from Dodoma and other cities with tools to incorporate disaster risk management into urban transport planning. This capacity building has been especially important in a context where fragmented responsibilities have historically hindered coordinated investment. The DIST project has helped bring together different government entities under a more unified framework for planning and implementation, fostering collaboration across sectors and levels of government.

The DIST project is part of a broader agenda for urban resilience and inclusive development. It aligns with Tanzania’s national development plans and is supported by partners such as the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the African Development Bank (AfDB), and the Tanzania Transport Integration Project (TANTIP). Community engagement has shaped interventions such as car-free zones, safer crossings, and accessible infrastructure, while efforts to modernize the daladala (a minibus or van that carries passengers for a fare) system aim to improve transport reliability. Local contractors are engaged in delivery, with job creation focused on youth and women. Tools such as the Smart Transport Data Platform are also helping institutions adopt more data-driven planning approaches.

Dodoma’s experience offers valuable lessons for other African cities grappling with similar challenges. The DIST project demonstrates how integrated transport planning—when combined with strong institutions, community engagement, development partners and climate-smart design—can drive transformative changes. As urbanization accelerates across the continent, the need for scalable, replicable models of sustainable mobility has never been greater. The DIST project is not just moving Dodoma forward, it is paving the way for a more resilient urban future across Africa.