The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Malawi government have signed a $60m (UA38.42m) funding agreement for road infrastructure improvements in the country.

The funds include two loans and a grant. The first UA14.32m loan will be used to build a 13km Lilongwe by-pass road to reduce congestion and accidents in capital city Lilongwe.

The road is part of the Nacala Road Corridor stretching from Malawi through Mozambique to Zambia.

The second UA22.98m loan will finance the upgrade of the Blantyre-Zomba road.

The final UA1.124m grant will be used to study the Ntcheu-Tsangano-Neno-Mwanza road in the agricultural region of south-western Malawi, to find the most cost-effective option for its rehabilitation.