Tanzania and Angola have agreed to pursue a major cross-border railway connection that would link the Atlantic and Indian Ocean coasts through Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Zambia and Tanzania.
The proposed infrastructure link is expected to strengthen regional trade and improve freight transportation. It is also expected to create an alternative logistics route for landlocked countries in Central and Southern Africa.
The agreement was announced on October 30, 2026, by Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan. This followed discussions with Angolan President Joao Lourenco. Lourenco was on a state visit to Tanzania.
The proposed connection will bring together Angola’s Benguela Railway, which forms a major part of the Lobito Corridor, and the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) network, which connects Zambia to the port of Dar es Salaam.
Once completed, the railway connection would establish a continuous east-west transport network between the Atlantic port of Lobito in Angola and the Indian Ocean port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. This would provide regional cargo operators with access to two major ocean gateways. It would also potentially reduce dependence on existing individual export routes.
However, the agreement is still at the planning and cooperation stage. The two governments have not yet announced a construction start date or a completion timeline. Detailed financing arrangements or the precise alignment of the missing railway connection have also not been announced yet.
Proposed railway line to integrate the Lobito and Central Corridors
The proposed railway integration will build on two major regional transport infrastructure networks that are already undergoing development and rehabilitation.
On the western side, Angola’s Benguela Railway is a key component of the Lobito Corridor. Lobito Corridor is a regional transport initiative connecting Angola’s Atlantic coastline with mineral-producing regions in the DRC and Zambia. The mineral-producing regions are also planning to source hydropower from Angola through the Angola-DRC-Zambia power transmission line project. Logistics-wise, the planned Tanzania-Angola railway line will provides access to the Port of Lobito, an important gateway for exporting copper, cobalt and other mineral resources from the Central African region.
On the eastern side, the TAZARA railway connects Dar es Salaam in Tanzania to Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia. The railway was originally constructed in the 1970s with Chinese financing. It was designed to facilitate the transportation of Zambian copper exports to the Indian Ocean and the movement of imported fuel into the region.
The proposed connection would also integrate these two railway systems through Zambia and the DRC. However, additional railway section and further infrastructure coordination will be necessary to establish seamless connectivity.
Tanzania and Zambia are also already pursuing the rehabilitation and modernization of TAZARA. This is while Angola undertakes improvements to the Benguela Railway. The proposed cross-border connection would also therefore complement existing investments rather than constitute an entirely new railway network.
TAZARA modernization and Lobito Corridor investments underpins the initiative
The proposed railway connection also comes amid significant investments. These span competing and complementary railway infrastructure across Southern and Central Africa.
In 2025, China signed a US$1.4 billion agreement with Tanzania and Zambia to modernize the TAZARA railway. The investment is expected to rehabilitate the existing railway infrastructure and improve its capacity to transport passengers and freight between the port of Dar es Salaam and Zambia.
Meanwhile, the Lobito Corridor is receiving substantial financial and infrastructure support from the United States, the European Union and other development partners.
Additionally, in December 2025, the US International Development Finance Corporation signed a US$553 million loan agreement with Lobito Atlantic Railway. The loan was intended to support the rehabilitation and operation of Angola’s Benguela Railway and improvements to the Port of Lobito. The Development Bank of Southern Africa also committed an additional US$200 million.
The wider Lobito Corridor program now includes plans for approximately 515 kilometers of new railway in Zambia and 315 kilometers in the DRC, alongside improvements to Angola’s existing railway infrastructure.
More recently, Italian construction company Webuild announced that it had won a tender to construct a section of the Zambia-Lobito Railway Corridor. This further advanced the development of the western railway network.
The Tanzania-Angola initiative could also consequently create opportunities to integrate these investments into a wider continental transport network. However, the governments involved will still need to agree on infrastructure standards, financing responsibilities, border operations and railway management arrangements.
Regional trade and mineral transportation expected to benefit from the new Tanzania-Angola railway line
The proposed connection could have significant implications for mineral transportation, particularly for Zambia and the DRC. The two countries are among Africa’s leading producers of copper and cobalt.
By connecting the two ocean corridors, mining companies and freight operators could potentially transport minerals to either the Atlantic or Indian Ocean. This will however depend on logistics costs, port capacity and international shipping requirements.
The additional route could also improve the movement of agricultural commodities, manufactured products, petroleum products and other commercial goods across the region.
For Tanzania, the initiative could also strengthen the strategic importance of the Port of Dar es Salaam and its associated Central Corridor infrastructure. It could also expand the country’s role as a regional logistics and transit hub serving neighboring landlocked economies.
For Angola, the connection would create an alternative route into East African markets. This is while increasing the commercial reach of the Lobito Corridor.
Nevertheless, the project’s eventual economic benefits will depend on the construction of the missing railway infrastructure. The operational compatibility of the existing networks and the ability of participating countries to coordinate cross-border freight services will also factor in.
The October 30 agreement between the two countries is an important step towards integrating two major African transport corridors. Its next major milestone will be translating the bilateral commitment into a defined regional infrastructure program involving Tanzania, Angola, Zambia and the DRC.
Tanzania–Angola Atlantic–Indian Ocean Railway Connection Project Fact Sheet
Countries involved: Tanzania, Angola, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo
Eastern terminus: Port of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Western terminus: Port of Lobito, Angola
Existing railway infrastructure: Benguela Railway and Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA)
Regional corridors: Lobito Corridor and Central Corridor
Main objective: Connect Atlantic and Indian Ocean trade routes
Key commodities: Copper, cobalt, other minerals, agricultural products and general freight
Agreement announcement: October 30, 2026
Current status: Bilateral agreement
Who is involved in the project?
Government of Angola – Bilateral agreement and
development of the Lobito Corridor.
Government of Zambia – Railway connectivity and TAZARA modernization.
Democratic Republic of Congo – Regional railway connectivity and integration with
the Lobito Corridor.
Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) – Operator of the railway connecting Dar es Salaam and Kapiri Mposhi.
Lobito Atlantic Railway (LAR) – Consortium responsible for rehabilitating and operating the Benguela Railway and associated Lobito logistics infrastructure.
Webuild Group – Italian construction company awarded a tender for a section of the Zambia-Lobito Railway Corridor.
US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) – Financial supporter of the Lobito Corridor through a US$553 million loan to Lobito Atlantic Railway.
Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) – Additional US$200 million financing commitment for the Lobito railway rehabilitation program.
China – Financing partner in the US$1.4 billion TAZARA modernization agreement.
Leave a Reply