en.Wedoany.com Reported - Several major French companies are targeting Brazil's highway project portfolio, a sector that is seeing a series of concession auctions.
A delegation representing Brazil's Ministry of Transport recently held a series of meetings in France to present investment opportunities in the country's highway sector. According to a ministry statement, during the trip, the delegation held talks with representatives from financial institutions, infrastructure operators, and international concession companies, including Vinci Concessions, BNP Paribas, Egis Group, Crédit Agricole, and Groupe NGE, and also conducted technical visits to learn about highway management and operational practices in France.
The federal government stated that these meetings introduced a total of 35 projects to French companies, encompassing both already auctioned contracts and those in the planning phase. This investor meeting comes at a time when Brazil's highway sector is attracting record investment levels, despite the country approaching elections amid a politically polarized environment. In October this year, Brazil will hold elections for president, governors, federal deputies, and senators. Recent polls indicate a very tight race between current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro.
"An election year undoubtedly influences investor perceptions. But these highway concession projects have been under review for a considerable time, and the market is already familiar with the conditions. I believe the infrastructure sector has reached a level of maturity, and regardless of the election outcome, the auction agenda for this year and the coming years will continue to move forward," Paulo Dantas, a lawyer specializing in infrastructure and project finance at Castro Barros Advogados, told BNamericas.
Brazil's highway sector is experiencing a record-breaking phase. According to estimates from the Brazilian Association of Highway Concessionaires (ABCR), with federal and state governments accelerating auctions in the sector, private investment in highways through concession contracts is expected to reach a new record in 2026, exceeding R$30 billion (approximately US$5.8 billion). Between 2022 and 2025, the Ministry of Transport held 22 federal highway auctions, with two additional projects already awarded in 2026. The 24 contracts signed to date cover 11,815 kilometers of highways, with total private investments exceeding R$268.7 billion to be completed in the coming years. The federal government expects to reach the milestone of 35 highway concessions by the end of 2026 under the current administration, with planned projects representing investments of approximately R$396 billion.
