Lobito Corridor reaches the bidding phase as $4bn-plus is committed against a $5bn build
Nine EPC contractors visit the Angola-DRC-Zambia route; preferred bidders due by August, but Zambian-leg financing slips to late 2027
Summary
The Lobito Corridor, a ~1,300km+ railway linking Angola's Atlantic port of Lobito to copper-cobalt in the DRC and Zambia, has moved into its EPC bidding phase. Nine contractors completed site visits; bids were due mid-2026, with preferred bidders expected July-August and early works possibly late-2026/early-2027. Committed financing exceeds $4bn against a ~$5-6.6bn cost: a $553m loan from the US DFC, a $200m Development Bank of Southern Africa loan, plus World Bank/AfDB backing. The Zambian leg lags, Africa Finance Corporation raises in Q3 2026, financial close targeted Q4 2027. Washington frames Lobito as its flagship critical-minerals counter to BRI, and it doubles as an EU Global Gateway flagship.
By the numbers
- ~1,300km+, corridor length (Lobito → DRC/Zambia copperbelt).
- ~$4bn+, committed financing against a ~$5-6.6bn total cost.
- $553m, US DFC loan to the Lobito Atlantic Railway consortium.
- 9, EPC contractors that conducted site visits before bidding.
- Q4 2027, targeted financial close for the Zambian section.
Why it matters
Lobito is the most concrete test of whether the West can finance and build a minerals corridor at BRI scale. Reaching construction bidding is real progress, but the multi-year financing tail, and the PGII's absence from Trump's 2026 budget, leaves the project exposed to political and funding slippage.
What to watch
- July-August: preferred EPC bidder selection and contract award.
- AFC's Q3 2026 Zambian-leg fundraise and whether close holds for Q4 2027.
- Whether US commitment survives PGII's budget omission under Trump.