Angola Plans Lobito Corridor Expansion to Dar es Salaam to Strengthen Africa Trade Routes and Supply Chains
Angola is considering extending the Lobito Corridor to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, a move aimed at strengthening regional integration and creating a more efficient trade route linking the Atlantic and Indian Ocean coasts.
Speaking at the “Radar Africa – The Paths of Angola” conference in Lisbon, Minister of State for Economic Coordination José de Lima Massano said the expansion would connect the Lobito Corridor to East Africa, significantly enhancing global trade connectivity.
Expanding a strategic trade corridor
Massano highlighted that the rehabilitation of the railway line from the Port of Lobito to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zambia is already underway.
Extending the route to Dar es Salaam would create a transcontinental corridor, improving the flow of goods between Africa and international markets.
He said the project would facilitate international trade, provide a competitive logistics channel, and strengthen regional economic integration across Southern Africa.
Supporting mining and regional development
The Lobito Corridor is designed to link Angola’s Atlantic port with mining regions in the DRC and Zambia, enabling more efficient transport of minerals such as copper and cobalt.
Beyond mining, the corridor is expected to stimulate broader economic development, particularly in inland regions.
Massano also pointed to emerging logistics platforms along the route, including agricultural initiatives supported by international partners, as examples of its wider economic impact.
Strategic importance in shifting global trade
The minister noted that current geopolitical tensions, including conflict in the Middle East, underscore the need to diversify global trade routes and supply chains. The corridor is positioned as part of that broader shift.
Early progress and operational milestones
Recent developments highlight growing momentum behind the project. Entreprise Générale du Cobalt (EGC) and commodity trader Trafigura recently completed the first shipment of copper and cobalt via the Lobito Atlantic Railway (LAR), marking a key milestone.
Trafigura described the shipment as a significant step toward establishing a faster, more efficient, and more transparent mineral supply chain from the DRC to global markets.
The Lobito Atlantic Railway spans about 1,300 kilometres from the Port of Lobito to the DRC border at Luau, with an additional 450-kilometre link to Kolwezi, a major hub in the Copperbelt.
The route reduces transport time by roughly seven days compared with alternative export corridors.
If extended to Tanzania, the Lobito Corridor would become one of Africa’s most strategic trade routes, linking resource-rich inland regions to both Atlantic and Indian Ocean ports, while enhancing the continent’s role in global supply chains.
