The governments of Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) signed a memorandum on Friday, 19 December, to extend the Nacala Railway Corridor, located in Nampula Province in northern Mozambique. The aim is to strengthen regional integration, facilitate trade, and ensure a competitive logistical connection to the Indian Ocean.
“This is the path for the Port of Nacala to establish itself as an engine of regional integration and a catalyst for shared economic development,” said Mozambique’s Minister of Transport and Logistics, João Matlombe, during the 10th Meeting of the Nacala Development Corridor Management Committee held in Maputo.
According to a Lusa report, the meeting was attended by the ministers responsible for Transport and Logistics from the four signatory countries. The agreement foresees the development of a railway line of approximately 2,400 kilometres, connecting Chipata in Zambia to Serege in DR Congo, passing through Malawi and Mozambique.
“The project will be an example of African cooperation and shared strategic vision. The Port and the Nacala Corridor are not just physical infrastructures; they are symbols of hope, progress, and regional integration, and they represent an opportunity to show the world that the region can be a model of cooperation and real economic development,” Matlombe explained.
According to the Mozambican minister, the four countries are expected to mobilise financing jointly and identify strategic partners for the construction of the railway line and associated logistical infrastructures along the corridor. “The next step should be the signing of an agreement in the first quarter of 2026 that will allow us to identify a partner for the construction of the railway line and logistical facilities along the corridor,” said Matlombe, noting that this moment will be “decisive in turning our vision into action and consolidating regional integration.”
Last August, President Daniel Chapo highlighted the “enormous potential” of the Nacala Logistics Corridor to boost trade in Africa. In 2023, former President Filipe Nyusi signed agreements with Malawi and Zambia to intensify the joint use of this infrastructure, considered crucial for landlocked countries.
Source: Diário Económico
