Zambia–Lobito Railway Selects Preferred Contractors Ahead of November Negotiations

Thursday 29th October 2026

By inAfrika Newsroom

Africa Finance Corporation has selected preferred engineering, procurement and construction bidders for the planned 830-kilometre Zambia–Lobito railway. AFC announced the selection on 27 October 2026, with contract negotiations scheduled to begin in November.

Webuild, Mota-Engil and IC İçtaş Construction form the preferred consortium for the Zambian section. Mota-Engil and Odebrecht Engineering and Construction have been selected for the Angolan section.

AFC aims to conclude the construction agreements within eight to twelve weeks of negotiations, subject to satisfactory technical, commercial and legal discussions. Preferred-bidder status therefore marks progress in procurement, rather than confirmation that final contracts have been signed.

The planned railway would connect Zambia with Angola’s Atlantic export network through Lobito. AFC identifies minerals, agricultural trade and industrial development among the opportunities the new link is intended to support.

The development is distinct from freight already moving on existing parts of the wider corridor. A new cross-border railway still needs its own delivery arrangements, while shippers ultimately require a dependable service across the full journey.

Construction contracting allocates responsibilities for matters such as design, equipment procurement and delivery. The commercial value for exporters will also depend on operating arrangements, border procedures, handling capacity and connections between production areas and terminals.

East African corridor operators can follow the project as an example of how a route moves through successive stages of development. A financing announcement, contractor selection and an operating freight service each answer a different question about readiness.

The next evidence will be concluded agreements and a confirmed implementation timetable. InAfrika’s earlier coverage of financing for the wider Lobito corridor provides background, while the latest selection establishes a separate procurement milestone.