Africa Finance Corporation has signed key financing agreements for the Lobito Atlantic Railway Project in Angola, marking a major milestone in the development of one of Southern Africa’s most strategic transport corridors.
Working alongside Eaglestone as co-financial adviser, AFC supported Lobito Atlantic Railway S.A., the concessionaire tasked with rehabilitating, upgrading, and operating the 1,300-kilometre rail line linking the Port of Lobito to the Democratic Republic of Congo border. The project is backed by an international sponsor consortium comprising Mota-Engil, Trafigura, and Vecturis, bringing together expertise in engineering, commodities logistics, and rail operations.
The US$753 million financing package includes US$553 million from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation and US$200 million from the Development Bank of Southern Africa. The funding will modernise rail infrastructure, strengthen regional trade connectivity, and improve access to global markets.
Once operational, the railway is expected to increase annual transport capacity to about 4.6 million tonnes—around ten times current levels—while cutting mineral transport costs by roughly 30%. The project is also set to create jobs, enhance safety standards, and support skills development along the corridor.
The Lobito Atlantic Railway reinforces Angola’s role as a regional logistics hub and highlights AFC’s growing advisory and investment footprint in the country, supporting infrastructure, trade, and industrial development priorities.
