Zambia–Lobito rail extension
~800 km greenfield line from Luacano (Angola) to Chingola (Zambia), the missing link connecting the Copperbelt to the existing railway.
Where on the corridor
- Announced
- Study
- Design
- Prequalification
- Bid
- Evaluation
- Award
- Construction
- Operational
- Total value
- —
- Target completion
- 1 December 2030
- Countries
- Angola, Zambia
- Sector
- Rail
<p>AFC-led greenfield project: roughly 550 km in Zambia from the Jimbe border to Chingola plus 260 km of feeder roads, with concession agreements signed with Angola and Zambia on 25 September 2024. As of mid-2026 the EPC tender is in evaluation — nine contractors made site visits, bids were due May 2026, contractor selection is targeted for July–August 2026 and groundbreaking late 2026/early 2027. Reported financing pledges include AFC $500m and Italy's CDP ~€300m; total cost estimates run up to $5bn for the 830 km scheme.</p><p><em>Editorial note: AfDB's contribution ($500m pledge vs $200m loan) and the financial-close date (end-2026 vs Q4 2027) are disputed across sources.</em></p>