DRC to Launch Tender for Lobito Corridor Rail Upgrade

The Democratic Republic of Congo says it will launch an international tender in April for the rehabilitation and modernization of the Tenke–Kolwezi–Dilolo railway section, a central link in the Lobito Corridor connecting the DRC Copperbelt to Angola’s Atlantic port infrastructure.

The announcement was made in Luanda during a high-level coordination meeting convened by Angola on February 5, bringing together officials from Angola, the DRC, and Zambia, alongside technical and financial partners.

Speaking at the meeting, DRC Deputy Prime Minister for Transport Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo outlined Kinshasa’s operational priorities for getting the corridor functioning reliably, including a focus on near-term repairs and a clearer financing pathway for larger upgrades. Angola has framed the February 5 gathering as part of a new coordination mechanism intended to accelerate implementation across participating states and partners.

Bemba pointed to ongoing emergency rehabilitation works on the Kolwezi–Dilolo stretch targeting roughly 80 km of critical areas to improve reliability and keep traffic moving between Tenke, Kolwezi, and the Lobito export route.

He also highlighted institutional reforms intended to structure the corridor delivery through a public-private partnership (PPP) aligned with international standards, an effort aimed at making the project bankable and executable at scale.

Financing and studies: where the corridor stands

On the planning side, Bemba said studies for the Tenke–Sakania section are at an advanced stage with support from the World Bank, which the DRC has described as a lead arranger for its financing approach. In recent reporting on the corridor, the DRC has also discussed seeking $500 million in World Bank support for its Lobito-linked rail priorities.

The key near-term step is the April tender for Tenke–Kolwezi–Dilolo. Bemba said the works are scheduled to begin in the last quarter of 2026, setting a clear timeline for contractors, lenders and corridor stakeholders to align around.

DRC Finance Minister Doudou Fwamba, who attended alongside Bemba, used the Luanda meeting to encourage additional financial partners to co-finance Phase 2 covering the Tenke–Lubumbashi–Sakania section and related corridor projects.

Why this tender matters

The Lobito Corridor is designed to shorten and stabilize logistics between mineral-producing areas in southern DRC and export infrastructure on the Atlantic coast, with the broader railway platform positioned as a regional trade route linking Angola and the DRC (and potentially onward to Zambia).