Investigating the state of road vehicle emissions in Africa: A case study of Ghana and Rwanda

Abstract

The estimated economic cost of premature deaths in 2013 from air pollution in Africa was USD 450 billion. The economic cost might become uncontrollable if radical policy changes are not implemented soon. Particulate matter emission is mostly attributed to road transport and power generation worldwide. This paper examines the state and adequacy of fuel and vehicle standards prevalent across the African continent. Experimental emissions tests were conducted on 200 vehicles each in Rwanda and Ghana to ascertain compliance to local and international standards. The result showed that even some new vehicles failed the emission tests while almost all the diesel cars tested in both countries failed the international standard. It was discovered that only five African countries have emission standards, most of which were not being implemented. The results also show that while there are approximately 72 million vehicles in use in Africa, only seven countries are responsible for 70% of greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gas emissions from transportation in Africa is growing at a rate of 7% annually. Poor fuel quality, aging vehicle fleet, and lack of mandatory roadworthy emission tests were to blame for the deteriorating transport emissions. More than 50% of African countries have fuel quality worse than European fuel quality predating 1992. The study recommended the UK’s emission standard for the annual in-service emission testing and Euro 4 standards for both fuel and new vehicle standards.

Keywords

• Roadworthiness
• Vehicle standard
• Emissions
• Fuel standard
• Vehicles in use
• Africa