A preferred bidder has been identified for the construction of the Zambia-Lobito Rail Project. Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) President and Chief Executive Officer Samaila Zubairu says progress has been made on the proposed railway project, with preferred bidders now selected following a competitive international tender. AFC, the lead sponsor and developer of the project, has

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A preferred bidder has been identified for the construction of the Zambia-Lobito Rail Project.

Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) President and Chief Executive Officer Samaila Zubairu says progress has been made on the proposed railway project, with preferred bidders now selected following a competitive international tender.

AFC, the lead sponsor and developer of the project, has announced that a consortium led by Italy’s Webuild S.p.A, alongside Portugal’s Mota-Engil and Turkey’s IC Içtaş Construction, has been selected as preferred bidder for the Zambian section – Lot 1B, the 517km stretch from the Angolan border to Chingola in the Copperbelt.

For the Angolan section – Lot 1A, the 314km stretch from the border to Luacano – a consortium of Mota-Engil and Odebrecht Engineering and Construction has been selected.

The 830km greenfield line from Chingola to Luacano will connect Zambia’s rail network to Angola’s Benguela Railway and the Port of Lobito on the Atlantic coast, forming a key link in the wider Lobito Corridor connecting the mineral-rich regions of Zambia and DRC to global export markets.

The contract is supported by Italy’s Mattei Plan for Africa. The project is being developed through Trans African Rail Company FZCO (TARC) as the holding company, and Zambia Lobito Railway Limited and Zambia Lobito Railway S.A.

According to AFC, contract negotiations will begin in November 2026, with the aim of concluding Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) agreements within *8 to 12 weeks, subject to technical, commercial and legal negotiations. Construction is expected to start within 6 to 8 months after that, with financial close targeted for Q4 2027.

Speaking at State House, Mr Zubairu told President Hakainde Hichilema that the project is not merely about railway infrastructure but also the ecosystems and value chains that will be developed around the corridor.

“This project is not just about the railway; it is also about the industrial cities that will emerge along the railway corridor,” Mr Zubairu said, describing it as a cornerstone of Africa’s development ambitions.

“Mr President, you recall that the leaders of Africa, through the African Union, had indicated a plan called ‘The Africa We Want’ by 2063. Our view is that it is only the Africa we build that we can get. So AFC is championing the Africa We Build by 2050, and it is about prosperity and dignity for our people across the continent.”

Mr Zubairu said the project presented an opportunity for infrastructure development and industrial master planning in Zambia, which could serve as an example for the rest of the continent.

The corridor is expected to strengthen Southern Africa’s trade links, accelerate export of copper, cobalt and other critical minerals, lower transport costs and spur industrial growth.

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