As Road User Charging Conference Middle East & Africa (MEA) 2025 approaches, CiTTi Magazine profiles the experts confirmed to speak at the internationally renowned event.
Taking place on 28-29 May in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, the annual Road User Charging Conference MEA will examine the latest advancements in user-financed transport infrastructure.
This prestigious two-day conference brings together policymakers, industry leaders and innovators to share best practices in the planning, financing, implementation and operation of tolling, road usage charging and mobility pricing schemes across highways, urban roads and cross-border corridors.
Among the confirmed speakers is Johnson Kilangi, founder & CEO at Miundo Misingi, an infrastructure hub based in Nairobi, Kenya.
Kilangi has more than 15 years of experience in infrastructure project finance and public-private partnership (PPP) consulting in East Africa, is a Certified Public Accountant of Kenya (CPA K) and a member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK).
He is also a steering committee member and chair of the Finance Chapter at the World Association of PPP Units and Professionals.
Kilangi will discuss effective structuring of user-financed PPP transportation projects in Africa, delving into the importance of ability and willingness to pay studies in their effective structuring.
His session will also deal with how to enhance the bankability of user-financed projects using efficient user fees collection solutions and the role of government support mechanisms in unlocking investments for user-financed PPP transportation projects.
Name: Johnson Kilangi
Job Role: Founder & CEO
Organisation: Miundo Misingi
What is the most rewarding aspect of your role?
My job allows me to engage with both public and private sector clients, leveraging on innovative ideas from the diverse team of professionals we work with to provide sustainable solutions in the infrastructure sector. It allows us to deviate from the traditional rigid structures, and bring in new ways of doing things that can unlock solutions in Africa.
What is the most pressing challenge for user-financed transportation in 2025?
The biggest challenge is striking a balance between the need to finance large scale infrastructure projects and affordability. In the African set up, it is the wish of every government to have road projects fully financed by user charges, with no or minimal support coming from the government. Depending on the charges levied on users, this might lock some users from benefiting from the project.
What is your best piece of advice for those implementing user-financed transport schemes?
Undertake extensive studies, including users’ ability and willingness to pay for user fees to ensure the fee charged is sustainable in the long run. Explore possible government support mechanisms including viability gap funding should the studies reflect very low ability and willingness by users to pay the fees.
Does legislation support or hinder innovation in this sector?
Whilst robust legislation is important in accelerating development in the sector, care should be taken to ensure it does not bring bottlenecks that could stifle investment into the sector. The legislation should be a driver that streamlines processes and provides comfort to private investors in the sector.
How will user-financed transportation schemes evolve by 2030?
I think technological improvements would be a gamechanger going forward. More sophisticated and efficient technologies coming into the market will seal revenue leakages thus enhancing the viability of user-financed transportation projects. In addition, with improvements in the regulatory landscape in many countries, more investment might flow into these projects in the near future.
Why are you looking forward to speaking at Road User Charging Conference MEA 2025?
Speaking at the conference gives me an opportunity to showcase some of the innovative solutions we are driving at the Miundo Misingi Hub, and possibly get feedback from the rich audience that will be in attendance.
Discover the key trends and challenges shaping the future of user-financed transportation –spanning tolling, pricing and road usage charging – at Akabo Media’s global Road User Charging Conference series. Join senior decision-makers from around the world as they tackle the issues defining the industry in Brussels (March 2025), Abu Dhabi (May 2025), Miami (September 2025), and Singapore (October 2025). Gain invaluable insights, share innovative ideas and network with global leaders driving the transformation of transportation systems. Click here to learn more and secure your place!
