The proposed railway will link Chingola in Zambia to Angola’s existing Benguela Railway, providing the Copperbelt with a direct route to the Port of Lobito and international shipping markets
Zambia is moving closer to establishing a direct railway connection to Angola’s Atlantic coast through the proposed 830km Zambia–Lobito Railway, which will link the country’s Copperbelt mining region to the existing Benguela Railway.
The greenfield railway will run from Chingola in Zambia to Luacano in Angola, where it will connect to the Benguela Railway and provide access to the Port of Lobito. The project is being developed by the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and forms part of the wider Lobito Corridor initiative.
The new line is expected to improve the movement of copper and other mineral exports from Zambia by providing an alternative route to international markets. It will also support the transportation of agricultural commodities, petroleum products, manufactured goods and general cargo.
According to the project developer, transporting freight from the Copperbelt to the Port of Lobito could take approximately seven days, compared with up to 16 days through alternative corridors.
The railway will comprise approximately 550km of new track in Zambia and 279km in Angola, connecting the two countries’ existing rail networks. It is intended to strengthen regional trade links by connecting production areas in inland Southern Africa to Atlantic shipping routes.
Beyond mineral exports, the railway is expected to support the movement of agricultural products and petroleum supplies between the two countries. This could provide businesses with another option for transporting goods across the region while improving access to export markets.
In an update on November 3, AFC President and Chief Executive Officer Samaila Zubairu met Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema in Lusaka to review progress on the project. Discussions included the railway’s right of way, land for freight-handling facilities and its integration with Zambia Railways.
The project has also reached the contractor selection stage, with AFC naming preferred bidders for the engineering, procurement and construction contracts covering the Zambian and Angolan sections. Contract negotiations are expected to take between eight and 12 weeks.
AFC is targeting financial close in 2027, with the project expected to handle approximately five million tonnes of freight annually once fully operational.
The railway is expected to strengthen Zambia’s access to international markets while creating an additional transport link between the country’s mining and agricultural production centres and the Port of Lobito.