War in the Middle East is driving up the cost of bitumen, a key material used to make asphalt for road surfaces, according to reports cited by outlets covering Africa. Because few African countries produce their own bitumen, suppliers and road-building firms in multiple countries rely on imports. As conflict-related pressures influence global markets, bitumen becomes more expensive and shipments take longer to arrive. The price increases and delivery delays are reported to affect road projects across the continent, including in countries such as Madagascar, Guinea, and Cameroon. Road contractors and related firms are responding by renegotiating existing contracts to account for higher input costs, absorbing some of the additional expenses, and adjusting how they plan and manage supplies to reduce the impact of longer delivery times. The reporting indicates that the issue is not limited to one country or contractor, but rather reflects broader supply-chain constraints tied to the international bitumen market. Overall, the war’s knock-on effects are contributing to higher construction costs and schedule uncertainty for road works in importing countries.