• OGEFREM signs a concession with Yellowstone to finance and build the Kasumbalesa dry port, a key regional transport hub.

• The private partner will construct warehouses, yards, fuel storage and 1,800-slot truck parks, plus admin and service facilities.

• In return for its investment (≈$129M), Yellowstone will operate the port under concession, leveraging its regional logistics expertise.

The Office of Multimodal Freight Management (OGEFREM) signed a concession agreement on Dec. 1, 2025, with the Yellowstone Consortium for the construction and operation of the Kasumbalesa dry port. The signing, which completes a year-long process to select a financing partner, took place in the presence of Transport Minister Jean-Pierre Bemba.

The agreement concludes efforts to secure a partner capable of financing and delivering the project. Kasumbalesa sits at the crossroads of several regional corridors that connect seven African seaports: Dar es Salaam, Beira, Nacala, Durban, Walvis Bay, Lobito and Luanda. The town, located along National Road No. 1, also links Zambia’s Copperbelt to the former Katanga province, two of the region’s most productive mining areas.

Although the contract terms were not disclosed, the pre-qualification notice outlines the private partner’s obligations. The partner must finance, build and equip 13,500 square meters of warehouses, expandable to 34,000 square meters, two container yards, a hydrocarbon storage area, and truck parking areas with an estimated capacity of about 1,800 spaces.

Investment and Concession Terms

The project also includes parking for cars and motorcycles, two administrative buildings, internal roads, an electricity delivery station, and a water pumping station with a storage tower. A fire station and rest facilities are also planned. The private partner will develop a land reserve at the site’s entrance to host a service station, retail outlets, and vehicle repair and washing facilities.

In return for its investment, the state is expected to grant the operator a concession for the operation and maintenance of the infrastructure. The duration will be set based on the project cost, maintenance requirements, and expected revenue. During the Council of Ministers meeting of Feb. 4, 2022, the project cost was estimated at nearly 129 million dollars.

Yellowstone is a South African consortium that specialises in the design, financing, construction and operation of logistics infrastructure, including dry ports, transit hubs, truck parks and industrial zones. The company highlights its multidisciplinary expertise in engineering, management, finance and operations, which it says enables it to deliver integrated and turnkey projects. It operates in several Southern African markets and promotes modern construction standards that support the smooth flow of regional transport.

Boaz Kabeya