• Lobito Corridor enters EPC bid evaluation, with AFC expecting construction start in 2026 in Angola and Zambia.

• Investor interest shifts toward agriculture, with agribusiness enquiries surpassing minerals along the corridor.

• Rising farm output and planned processing zones position Lobito to drive $1.2bn in annual agricultural trade by 2035.

The $6 6bn-plus Lobito Corridor rail project has entered a new phase, with bids from engineering, procurement, and construction contractors under evaluation for the first two sections of the line. The development marks the most concrete step yet toward the start of physical works along the 1,300-kilometre corridor linking Angola, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. S

peaking at the African Investment Forum in Rabat, AFC president and chief executive Samaila Zubairu confirmed that competitive tenders are under review for Lot 1 in Angola and Lot 2 in Zambia, while a third lot covering signalling and operational systems will follow. He said the project remains on track to break ground next year in both countries, reflecting the rapid transition from feasibility and preparation to execution readiness.

Zubairu emphasised that the AFC’s decision to take an early risk was essential to bringing the project to this point. The corporation financed feasibility studies, legal structuring, and environmental assessments, enabling the signing of concession agreements in what he described as record time. This work has already attracted grant support from the European Union and helped consolidate a seven-party partnership involving the governments of Angola, Zambia, and the DRC, the African Development Bank, the U.S. Partnership for Global Infrastructure Investment, the European Commission, and, most recently, the government of Italy. According to Zubairu, the strength of this coalition demonstrates a shared conviction that large-scale African infrastructure requires African leadership, policy consistency, and a willingness to take the first step so that others may follow.

Although the Lobito Corridor has been widely promoted as a transformative route for exporting copper and cobalt from the Central African Copperbelt, Zubairu revealed that investor interest in recent months has been strongest in the agricultural value chains that the project is expected to unlock. He noted that the majority of partnership enquiries received by AFC have come from agribusiness operators rather than mineral processors, reflecting growing confidence in the region’s food-system potential.

This trend has been reinforced by the African Development Bank’s recent approval of a $211.4m programme to develop agribusiness centres and upgrade feeder roads in Angola’s central provinces. Zubairu said that the corridor is designed not only to support mineral exports but also to open access to agricultural zones, create industrial clusters, and stimulate tourism, making it a comprehensive development platform rather than a single-purpose railway.

The infrastructure is expected to reshape regional trade dynamics by significantly reducing transit times for Copperbelt minerals. Current routes to Atlantic or Indian Ocean ports can take as long as 45 days, whereas the Lobito line is designed to cut that to under 15 days. At the same time, agricultural productivity along the route is rising sharply.

Zambia has recorded a 28 per cent increase in maize and soybean output since 2020, buoyed by the expansion of commercial farming in the northwest regions, which will feed directly into the corridor. In Angola, cereal production in the Huambo and Bié provinces rose by 41 per cent in the 2024/25 season, aided by the recovery from drought and the rollout of new irrigation schemes. Angola now ranks as sub-Saharan Africa’s third-largest maize producer, while targeted fertilizer and seed programmes in Zambia have lifted yields in corridor-adjacent districts well above the national average.

Lower transport costs and the emergence of agro-processing zones along the rail alignment could support more competitive exports of value-added products to Europe and the Middle East. Feasibility studies indicate that agricultural trade flows through Lobito could reach $1.2bn annually by 2035 if supporting investments materialise. Meanwhile, the railway's financing structure continues to evolve.

Around $2.2bn in commitments from multilateral and bilateral partners is already in place, with an additional $4.5bn in debt and equity still required to reach full financial close. Zubairu reiterated that sustained policy coherence among the participating governments will be essential for maintaining investor credibility, attracting long-term capital, and ensuring that the corridor fulfils its promise as a catalyst for industrial growth and job creation.

Reflecting on AFC’s approach, Zubairu said the institution is driven by a simple conviction: that Africa’s development must be led by Africans willing to assume the initial risks and demonstrate feasibility at scale. Once that foundation is established, he argued, investment naturally accelerates. The progress on the Lobito Corridor, now advancing through EPC evaluation and preparing for construction next year, reflects that philosophy in practice and positions the project as one of the most consequential infrastructure undertakings currently underway on the continent.

Idriss Linge