The assessment report recently released by the Zambia Environmental Management Agency has unveiled the veil of this highly anticipated cross-border railway. The total length of the project is about 830 kilometers, with an estimated total investment ranging from 3 billion to 5 billion US dollars, covering railway construction and locomotive procurement. The African Development Bank has promised to inject funds, and the European Union has also extended an olive branch. The project will adopt a special purpose company structure, led by the African financial company AFC, with joint ownership by the governments of Zambia and Angola, mining companies, and railway operators.

This is not just a railway

As the largest new construction project in Zambia since the Tanzania Zambia Railway, its strategic value lies in connecting inland copper mines directly to the Atlantic Ocean. The forecast shows that the freight volume will reach 2 million tons in 2031 and climb to 2.7 million tons ten years later. Although this data may not be prominent in the global freight network, it is a lifeline for Zambia's copper mines, which are deeply mired in inland difficulties.

Data doesn't lie

According to relevant data statistics in 2025, Zambia's copper metal reserves will reach 21 million tons, ranking tenth in the world. Copper Belt Province and Northwest Province have concentrated the national core production capacity, and the predicted resource volume of mines such as Lumwana and Kongola alone is approaching 9 million tons. With the explosive demand for copper and cobalt in the global energy transition, this railway will become a strategic channel connecting African resources with international markets.

The puzzle in the Lobito corridor is accelerating to close

The bidding for the repair of the Tengke Kolwezi Dilolo railway in the Democratic Republic of Congo section will be launched this month; The World Bank is funding a feasibility study for the Zambia docking section. At the same time, Chinese companies are modernizing the Tanzania Zambia Railway, interweaving new and old arteries in central and southern Africa.Editor/Cheng Liting