Public Works Ministry Initiates 980 Billion Dinar Infrastructure Program

Algeria is advancing its national infrastructure agenda with the preparation of a 2027 public works program worth 980 billion dinars in payment appropriations. This significant investment is complemented by a comprehensive management reshuffle impacting 24 provinces, as the Ministry of Public Works and Basic Infrastructure seeks to tighten oversight and optimize major transport projects. The core objective of these integrated efforts is to elevate road maintenance, enhance project delivery timelines, and ensure high construction quality across the nation.

The administrative reorganization saw 13 senior officials promoted to director-level positions, while 11 existing directors were transferred to new provinces. Following their installation on November 8 and 9, Minister Abdelkader Djellaoui met with the newly appointed directors on November 14 to outline key priorities. These include direct supervision of construction sites, strict adherence to delivery schedules and quality standards, and diligent maintenance of national roads and motorways. Officials from provinces such as Adrar, Béni Abbès, Bou Saâda, Blida, Aïn Oussara, Aïn Defla, Mascara, Naâma, Timimoun, Djelfa, El Bayadh, Ouargla, and Bouira were among those involved. They were instructed to collaborate closely with their respective provincial governors and local authorities, while the ministry pledged to foster communication between regional and central departments and facilitate the exchange of technical expertise.

This reshuffle forms an integral part of a broader financial and operational blueprint presented by Minister Djellaoui to the People’s National Assembly’s Finance and Budget Committee. The proposed 2027 budget allocates the 980 billion dinars in payment appropriations, alongside 322 billion dinars in commitment authorisations. The plan also encompasses 456 proposed new operations and the reassessment of 14 existing projects. These extensive allocations are designed to cover the entire public works sector, including vital areas such as road maintenance and modernisation, engineering structures, airports, and maritime infrastructure, reflecting a holistic approach to national development. The figures remain part of the draft Finance Bill, which was scheduled for a vote in the National People’s Assembly.

In anticipation of the comprehensive program, the ministry had already initiated efforts in October to identify priority road sections, with Minister Djellaoui calling for swift intervention on deteriorating routes and the preparation of tender documents for 2027 maintenance operations. Specific actions include urgent interventions on damaged sections of the East–West Motorway, notably in Bouira, Aïn Defla, and Blida, with repair work recorded near Bechloul in Bouira. Furthermore, the rehabilitation of a 29-kilometre section of the Second Ring Road between Bir Touta and Khemis El Khechna was scheduled to commence in November. Progress is also evident in projects like the Djelfa expansion, where a 16-kilometre stretch of dual-carriageway on National Road No. 1, part of a 3.5 billion dinar investment package, was opened to traffic in May 2026.