Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has received a delegation from Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) to review progress on the Zambia–Lobito Railway Project.
AFC is the lead sponsor and developer of the project, which will entail the construction of an approximately 830-kilometre railway that will connect Chingola in Zambia’s Copperbelt to Luacano in Angola.
The railway will link with the existing Benguela Railway and provide direct access to the Atlantic Ocean through the Port of Lobito.
AFC said that, in addition to providing a direct Atlantic export route for Zambia’s copper and critical minerals, the project is being developed as an integrated economic corridor for agricultural exports, petroleum logistics, manufacturing and regional trade.
Transit from the Copperbelt to the Port of Lobito is expected to take approximately seven days.
AFC said the project’s commercial strategy targets approximately five million tonnes of annual freight at steady state, comprising petroleum products, agricultural commodities, copper, cobalt, zinc and other industrial cargo.
The company is targeting financial close in 2027.
"The Zambia–Lobito Railway is central to our vision of transforming Zambia into a competitive regional hub for trade, manufacturing, agriculture and mineral value addition," President Hichilema said. "By connecting our productive sectors to international markets more efficiently, we can reduce logistics costs, attract investment and create jobs."
