DRC Advances Plans to Rehabilitate Lobito Corridor Railway

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is advancing plans to rehabilitate its section of the Lobito Corridor, a major railway route expected to improve access to international markets for Congolese minerals.

The proposed project covers the Dilolo-Sakania railway line and would connect the DRC’s mining regions to Angola’s Atlantic port of Lobito. Portuguese construction company Mota-Engil is being considered for the project, with financial support expected from the United States.

In December 2025, the US International Development Finance Corporation issued a letter of interest supporting Mota-Engil’s proposed rehabilitation, operation and eventual transfer of the railway. The project could receive up to $1 billion in DFC financing, although any funding remains subject to a full review. DFC

What is the Lobito Corridor?

The Lobito Corridor is a railway and logistics network linking the mineral-rich regions of southern DRC to the port of Lobito on Angola’s Atlantic coast.

The Angolan section stretches approximately 1,300 kilometres from Lobito to the DRC border. It is operated by the Lobito Atlantic Railway consortium, which includes Mota-Engil, Trafigura and Vecturis.

The route provides an alternative to ports such as Durban, Dar es Salaam, Beira and Walvis Bay. It is particularly important for transporting copper, cobalt, zinc and other minerals used in renewable energy systems, electric vehicles and modern technologies.

For mining centres such as Kolwezi and Tenke, officials estimate that freight could reach Lobito within five to eight days. The journey to Durban can take about 25 days.

According to Congolese projections, using the corridor could reduce logistics costs by as much as 30 percent. Bankable