ESIA Disclosure
The full Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) are being undertaken by Insuco.
Read disclosure →Built for Africa. Connecting the World.
The Project is a c. 830 km greenfield rail line connecting Zambia's Copperbelt to the Port of Lobito on the Atlantic coast.
- 0km Greenfield rail
- 0days Transit to Port of Lobito
- 0Mt Freight per annum by 2031
- $0bn Net economic benefits
Project Overview
Completing the Trans-African Rail Corridor
Hover any station to explore the corridor. The 830km railways line under development connects the existing Benguela railway in Angola to Zambia's Copperbelt - bridging the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
Station
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ZLR - new corridor (830 km)
Benguela Railway - existing
Zambia Railways - existing
Tazara Railway - existing
Click any station for more detail
The Zambia Lobito Railway (ZLR)
The Zambia Lobito Railway (ZLR) is a c.830km greenfield rail line from Chingola, Zambia to Luacano in Angola, connecting to the existing Benguela line and the Zambia Railways network - thereby completing the Trans-African rail corridor.
This AFC-led development will establish a critical trade route for copper, critical minerals, agricultural products, petroleum and general cargo, connecting inland Southern African countries to international markets via the Port of Lobito on the Atlantic coast. The development is set to reduce transit times to 7 days, down from up to 16 days via alternative corridors.
Project Status
Milestones & Delivery Roadmap
Key milestones achieved to date include the completion of comprehensive feasibility studies and environmental and social scoping studies. Below is the full roadmap to financial close in Q4 2027.
Completed
- Sep 2024Feasibility study completed
- Sep 2024Concession agreements signed
- 2024–25Approval of E&S Scoping studies
- Apr 2025Intergovernmental Agreement executed
Completed
- Oct 2025Satisfaction of Stage 1 CP under the Zambia Concession Agreement
- Apr 2026Completion of ESIA, RAP (incl. BAP & SEP) View disclosure →
- 2026Completion of valuation exercise & execution of consent forms with PAPs
- May 2026AfDB Board Approval of an initial tranche of funding
Ongoing
- Q3 2026EPC contractor selection
- Q4 2027Signed MoUs for rail usage (c. 1 million tonnes)
- Q4 2027Integration with existing infrastructure
Scheduled
- Q3 2026Commencement of financing process
- Q1 2027O&M contractor selection
- Q2 2027 – Q2 2028De-mining activities in Angola
- Q4 2027Financial close
Route Map - Chingola to Luacano
EPC Tender for the Zambia Lobito Railway
EPC tender across three strategic components: Lot 1a Civils & Plate Laying (Angola), Lot 1b Civils & Plate Laying (Zambia), Lot 2 Signalling, Systems & Rolling Stock.
Tender enquiries →About ZLR
Project Sponsor
Project Sponsor - Africa Finance Corporation
The Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) serves as lead developer for the ZLR project, in partnership with the Governments of Zambia and Angola. Established in 2007 as a Public Private Partnership of sovereign African states, AFC has an investment footprint across 36 African countries with 43 African member states plus 3 multilateral members.
- AAAMoody's Rating
- A / A-1S&P Rating
- $0.0bnTotal Assets
- $0.0bnTotal Equity
- 0%Liquidity Coverage Ratio
- 0.0%Capital Adequacy Ratio
AFC maintains preferred creditor status, immunities and tax exemptions among member states. Cumulative disbursement exceeds US$13.2 billion across the continent.
Project Updates
Latest News
Intergovernmental Agreement Signed
Zambia and Angola formally executed the Intergovernmental Agreement, marking a critical step toward the development of the ZLR corridor.
Concession Agreements Executed
Concession Agreements signed with both governments, providing the legal framework for the 830km greenfield rail corridor.
Feasibility Studies Completed
Comprehensive feasibility studies confirm the technical, commercial and economic viability of the Zambia Lobito Railway.
Project Partners & Contributions
European Union
EUR 2M
Development grant
Italy
USD 320M
Mattei Plan
AfDB
USD 200M
Lobito Corridor
Africa Finance Corporation
USD 500M
Lead developer & sponsor
AFC Capital Partners
US$5M
Feasibility & development
Angola
Concession Agreement
Host government
Zambia
Concession Agreement
Host government
- European UnionEUR 2 million grant funding development activities.
- ItalyUSD 320 million capital commitment under the Mattei Plan.
- AfDBUSD 200 million loan toward the Lobito Corridor.
- Africa Finance CorporationUSD 500 million committed as lead developer and sponsor.
- AFC Capital PartnersUS$5 million committed for feasibility and project development.
- AngolaConcession Agreement signed; host government.
- ZambiaConcession Agreement signed; host government.
