International financiers have pledged $1.3 billion to develop a major railway linking Zambia’s copper-rich regions to global export markets, in a move expected to reshape mineral supply chains and boost Africa’s role in the energy transition.
The funding package will support construction of an 830-kilometre link connecting Zambia’s northwestern copper belt to Angola’s Atlantic port of Lobito, forming a key segment of the Lobito Corridor. The route is designed to provide a faster and more direct export channel for critical minerals such as copper and cobalt.
The financing includes $500 million each from the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and the African Development Bank, with Italy contributing an additional $320 million, according to project sponsors.
Once completed, the railway is expected to significantly reduce transport times for mineral exports from as long as 16 days to about seven days, cutting logistics costs and improving competitiveness for mining companies operating in Zambia.
The project comes amid intensifying global demand for critical minerals used in electric vehicles, renewable energy systems and defence technologies. Analysts say infrastructure investments such as the Lobito Corridor are becoming as important as the minerals themselves, as countries and companies seek secure, efficient supply chains.
“This is more than infrastructure—it’s about controlling the flow of strategic resources,” industry observers note, pointing to growing geopolitical competition over African mineral exports.
Zambia, Africa’s second-largest copper producer, is positioning itself to capitalise on rising demand, with several large-scale mining projects either underway or planned. Increased output has heightened the need for efficient transport networks to move minerals to international markets.
The railway is also expected to diversify export routes by reducing reliance on longer, congested corridors ports on Africa’s eastern coast. By providing direct access to the Atlantic, the project will open shorter shipping routes to Europe and North America.
However, the $1.3 billion commitment represents only part of the total estimated $5 billion cost of the railway, with additional financing still required. Construction is expected to begin this year, with completion targeted for 2030.
For the project to be financially viable, developers will need to secure sufficient freight volumes from mining companies. Current commitments stand at around one million tonnes annually, below the estimated requirement of up to three million tonnes.
Despite these challenges, the railway is widely viewed as a transformative investment that could lower transport costs, unlock new mining projects and strengthen regional integration.
More broadly, the development reflects a growing shift in Africa’s mining sector, where infrastructure corridors are emerging as critical enablers of economic growth and global competitiveness in the race for energy transition minerals.