The Angolan government announced on Tuesday that two international financial institutions have made available $753 million to modernise 1,300 kilometres of railway along the Lobito Corridor.
A communiqué from Angola’s Ministry of Transport, consulted by Lusa, stated that the financing was secured by Lobito Atlantic Railway (LAR), the concessionaire responsible for developing the Lobito Corridor — the rail infrastructure linking the Port of Lobito, in Angola’s Benguela province, to the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The financing package comprises $553 million from the United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and $200 million from the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA).
‘The financial close now completed materialises the agreements concluded in Washington in December 2025, and represents a further step in the realisation of the Angolan government’s strategic vision for the development of the Lobito Corridor, consolidating Angola as a reference logistics and commercial platform for African economic integration and for regional markets’ access to global trade chains,’ the communiqué reads.
According to the same statement, the planned interventions are expected to increase the corridor’s transport capacity approximately tenfold, to around 4.6 million tonnes per year, while also contributing to an estimated 30% reduction in logistics costs associated with the transport of goods and strategic raw materials.
Angola’s Minister of Transport, Ricardo Viegas D’Abreu, quoted in the communiqué, said that ‘the financial close of this project confirms the solidity of the government’s strategic vision for the Lobito Corridor and the confidence of international partners in the transformative potential of Angolan infrastructure.’
‘Angola is increasingly affirming itself as an indispensable logistics platform for economic integration, trade facilitation, and the sustainable development of the region,’ the minister added.
D’Abreu further stated that ‘the Lobito Corridor is today a national and continental strategic asset, capable of bringing economies closer together, generating investment opportunities, promoting industrialisation, and reinforcing Angola’s position as a privileged Atlantic gateway to the markets of Central and Southern Africa.’
‘Regarded as one of the most significant cross-border infrastructure projects currently under development on the African continent, the Lobito Corridor will strengthen regional connectivity, enhance value chains linked to the mining, agricultural, and industrial sectors, and contribute to job creation, knowledge transfer, and the stimulation of local economies,’ the statement notes.
The Angolan government’s project has attracted strong international investment and support from institutions including the World Bank and the European Union, with the goal of multiplying transport capacity and reducing regional logistics costs.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/2026/07/08/mundo/angola/angola-garante-753-m-para-modernizar-linha-ferrea-do-corredor-do-lobito/
