Billions Flow Into African Railways as Global Powers Compete for Critical Minerals
Billions of dollars are being poured into railway expansion and upgrades across Africa to improve the transport of critical minerals such as copper, cobalt, tantalum, and coal from landlocked mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Botswana, and Zambia to global markets.
Major Railway Projects Underway
Several large-scale projects are driving this transformation:
Trans-Kalahari Railway (1,500 km): Designed to link Botswana’s coal and mineral reserves to export hubs.
TAZARA Upgrade (1,860 km): A proposed $1.4 billion investment by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation to modernize the Tanzania-Zambia Railway, which connects Zambia’s mines to the Port of Dar es Salaam.
Lobito Corridor (1,300 km): The most advanced project, linking Angola’s Lobito Port to mining regions in the DRC and Zambia.
It has attracted more than $10 billion in commitments from the United States (US), European Union (EU), African Development Bank, and private investors.
Lobito Corridor Gains Momentum
The Lobito Corridor has already proven its potential. Ivanhoe Mines recently used the line to move copper concentrate from its Kamoa-Kakula complex in the DRC to Lobito. Transport by rail cuts delivery time to just eight days, compared to 25 days by road to Durban.
Andrew Shaw, Chief Strategy and Planning Officer at Transnet, noted that freight volumes on the north-south corridor from Lubumbashi to Durban have declined over the past 15 years due to growing east-west road traffic to Dar es Salaam.
Still, significant volumes of copper continue to move by road to Durban’s City Deep terminal, where it is containerised for export.
Durban remains attractive for exporters because containerised shipments can be dispatched in smaller volumes to diverse destinations.
Strategic Interest in Critical Minerals
According to the OECD Emerging Markets Forum (April 2025 draft report), the Lobito and TAZARA projects highlight growing international interest in African critical mineral supply chains.
In 2023, the US and EU signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with African financial institutions to support upgrades to the historic Benguela Railway.
The US has since increased its involvement in the region. In June 2025, the DRC and Rwanda signed the “Critical Minerals for Security and Peace” agreement in Washington, brokered by the US. Under the deal, the US gains significant access to DRC mineral rights.
Former President Donald Trump, speaking at the signing, emphasized that securing Africa’s mineral supply is central to US interests, framing it as part of a broader strategy to counter China’s dominance in the global minerals trade.
Transactional Geopolitics
Not all observers are optimistic. Claude de Baissac, founder and CEO of Eunomix, warned that the renewed focus on Africa’s resources may not lead to broad-based development:
“Africa has 30% of the world’s known mineral endowment, but it is underexplored. While Africa is again on the radar, the US approach is transactional.
Its involvement is narrowly focused on securing mineral supply rather than supporting democracy or inclusive growth.”
De Baissac added that while the US is committed to the Lobito Corridor and has invested political capital in DRC-Rwanda peace talks, the benefits may largely flow to Washington and a few corporations rather than to African economies and communities.
The Bigger Picture
With China, the US, and Europe all vying for influence in Africa’s critical mineral sector, the continent’s rail networks are becoming strategic arteries for global supply chains.
While these investments promise faster, cheaper mineral exports, the real challenge lies in ensuring they also advance sustainable development, regional integration, and long-term prosperity for African nations.
