The Lobito Corridor—a 1,300-kilometer railway linking Angola’s port of Lobito to the mineral-rich regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia—is emerging as one of Africa’s most significant infrastructure projects. Supported by the United States and the European Union, the railway is designed to reduce transport times for critical minerals such as cobalt, a resource essential for batteries, electric vehicles, and other advanced technologies. The DRC, which holds an estimated 70% of the world’s cobalt reserves, stands to benefit significantly, with President Félix Tshisekedi projecting 30,000 direct and indirect jobs from the project. The railway, which is partly operational, has already reduced shipment times from mining regions in the DRC to export ports in Angola by weeks, transforming logistics for miners. Beyond mining, the project is expected to also benefit agriculture and other industries.
African Business
