AFC secures $753m financing milestone for Angola’s Lobito Atlantic Railway
Africa Finance Corporation has reached a major financing milestone for the Lobito Atlantic Railway Project in Angola following the signing of key funding agreements for the cross-border rail corridor. The deal advances one of Africa’s most strategic transport infrastructure initiatives aimed at boosting regional trade and logistics.
AFC served as co-financial adviser alongside Eaglestone to Lobito Atlantic Railway S.A., the concessionaire and borrower responsible for rehabilitating and operating the 1,300-kilometre brownfield rail line. The corridor links the Port of Lobito on Angola’s Atlantic coast to the Democratic Republic of Congo border.
$753m package unlocks regional rail corridor
The financing totals $753 million, comprising $553 million from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation and $200 million from the Development Bank of Southern Africa. The agreement marks a decisive step toward full-scale rehabilitation and modernization of the rail corridor.
Once completed, the project is expected to strengthen regional integration by improving access to global markets for landlocked mineral-producing regions. Transport capacity along the route is projected to increase nearly tenfold to about 4.6 million metric tonnes annually.
Development impact and sponsor backing
The railway project is backed by a consortium of sponsors including Mota-Engil, Trafigura, and Vecturis, combining construction, logistics, and rail operations expertise. The sponsors are expected to support long-term operational performance and commercial sustainability of the corridor.
Beyond trade facilitation, the project is forecast to deliver wide-ranging development benefits. These include job creation, skills transfer, improved safety standards, and long-term economic opportunities for communities along the railway route.
Transport costs for critical minerals are also expected to fall by about 30 percent, improving supply-chain efficiency for regional exports. The corridor will support the movement of minerals from the DRC and Zambia to international markets through Angola’s Atlantic port.
AFC president and chief executive Samaila Zubairu said the transaction highlights the institution’s ability to structure complex, cross-border infrastructure financing. He said the Lobito Corridor reinforces the role of integrated rail and port systems in driving trade, industrial growth, and regional resilience.
Angola has strengthened its partnership with AFC in recent years, becoming a member state in 2022 and a shareholder in 2025. AFC continues to expand its advisory and investment footprint in the country across infrastructure, energy, and industrial projects.
