Lobito Atlantic Railway

Lobito Atlantic Railway is a railway infrastructure project linking the Port of Lobito in Angola to the mineral-rich regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia. The railway forms part of the Lobito Corridor, a strategic transport route designed to facilitate the export of critical minerals from central Africa to global markets via the Atlantic Ocean. The project is operated by a consortium that includes Portuguese construction group Mota-Engil, Swiss commodity trader Trafigura and rail operator Vecturis. Financing for the railway has been provided by institutions including the US International Development Finance Corporation, the Development Bank of Southern Africa and the Africa Finance Corporation, reflecting its geopolitical and economic significance. The railway is intended to reduce reliance on longer southern African export routes and to strengthen regional integration across Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia. It supports the extraction and transport of minerals such as copper and cobalt, which are essential for global energy transition and technology supply chains. The Lobito Atlantic Railway represents a major infrastructure investment aimed at unlocking landlocked mineral resources and enhancing Angola's role as a regional logistics hub. The project has attracted international attention as part of broader efforts to secure supply chains for critical minerals outside traditional routes.