On 2 January 2026, Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) announced the signing of financing agreements for the Lobito Atlantic Railway Project in Angola. The US$753 million package supports the rehabilitation and operation of the 1,300-kilometre rail corridor linking the Port of Lobito with the Democratic Republic of Congo border, marking a major milestone for one of Africa’s most strategically important transport corridors. Following rehabilitation, the corridor is designed to reach approximately 4.6 mtpa of bulk cargo capacity.
The financing milestone significantly strengthens one of Africa’s most strategic export corridors for copper and other critical minerals, reinforcing the Atlantic route as a viable alternative to longer southern and eastern African pathways. For trade flows, the project improves reliability and lowers costs for mineral exports from the DRC and Zambia to global markets. From a CO₂ perspective, shifting bulk cargo to rail reduces reliance on long-haul trucking. For investors, the involvement of DFC, DBSA and AFC de-risks the corridor and signals strong institutional backing for scalable, cross-border infrastructure with further upside beyond the initial 4.6 mtpa capacity.
Official Source: Africa Finance Corporation
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