Eswatini Railways (ESR) has been a vital part of the country’s transportation landscape for more than six decades. Despite operating in a small, landlocked market, ESR plays a critical role in regional trade, connecting South Africa and Mozambique with other Southern African Development Community (SADC) nations. With its focus on productivity and profitability, ESR is thriving, even as the country has set the retirement age at 60. The railways of
Category: Railway News
Tanzania and Zambia Pursue Private Investment to Modernize TAZARA Railway
With growing demand for freight transportation along the Southern Corridor, Tanzania and Zambia are actively seeking private investment to revitalize the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA). The 1,860-kilometer railway, constructed in the 1970s with significant Chinese support, links Zambia’s Copperbelt region to Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam port. Over the years, TAZARA has become a critical trade and transport lifeline for neighboring countries, including Zimbabwe, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of Congo
Angola’s Lobito Atlantic Railway Expands with Arrival of 275 New Container Wagons
The first batch of 275 new container wagons, purchased from South Africa’s Galison Manufacturing, has arrived in Lobito, Angola, to enhance the transport capacity of the Lobito Atlantic Railway (LAR). This strategic investment is part of LAR’s broader expansion and modernization plan, aimed at boosting railway infrastructure over the next three years. Arriving earlier this week, the new wagons are equipped with a modern pneumatic braking system and a lightweight
U.S.-China Collaboration Along Africa’s Lobito Corridor Could Unlock Green Growth Potential
Originally scheduled for October 13-15, President Joe Biden’s visit to Angola was set to be historic—the first by a sitting U.S. president to an African nation in nearly a decade. While Hurricane Milton delayed the trip, the urgency to reschedule remains high due to its strategic significance, emphasizing Africa’s growing role in global economics. Angola, along with regional neighbors Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is emerging as
Yapi Merkezi Secures $3 Billion Contract for Major Railway Project in Uganda
Turkish engineering firm Yapi Merkezi has won a $3 billion contract to construct a 272-kilometer railway line connecting Kampala to Malaba, a key Ugandan border point with Kenya, the country’s preferred route for port access. This project marks one of the most substantial international undertakings for a Turkish construction company. Perez Wamburu, coordinator of Uganda’s Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project, shared that this agreement covers the first phase of a
AFC Advances Zambia Lobito Rail Project with Angola and Zambia Concession Agreements
The Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) has achieved a major milestone in the Zambia Lobito Rail project by entering concession agreements with the governments of Angola and Zambia. The formal signing took place alongside the 79th United Nations General Assembly, with support from the U.S. G-7 Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI) and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. These agreements position the AFC as the lead entity for funding,
Malawi’s Rail Rehabilitation Reopens Path for Mozambican Coal Exports
The completion of a major rail rehabilitation project linking Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe, with Balaka in the south has paved the way for the resumption of thermal and coking coal exports from Mozambique. This development is expected to boost coal trade between the two nations, particularly from Mozambique’s coal-rich Tete Province. While international investors have reduced their involvement in local mining operations due to environmental concerns, Mozambique’s coal reserves continue to
Zimbabwe Opens Rail Network to Private Players Amid Rising Mineral Demand
Zimbabwe’s state-owned railway operator, National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ), has opened its network to private companies, including a unit of South Africa’s Grindrod, to boost freight volumes that have plummeted after years of underinvestment. Once transporting 12 million tons of cargo annually in the 1990s, NRZ now hauls less than 3 million tons due to a lack of locomotives and poor infrastructure maintenance. This decline was exacerbated by a sharp
Zambia Signs MoU to Boost Trade Through Lobito Corridor
The Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry (MCTI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Quality Institutions (NQI) to implement the Lobito Corridor Trade Facilitation Project, supported by an African Development Bank grant of US$8.1 million. This project aims to enhance both domestic and cross-border trade between Zambia, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The NQI comprises key regulatory bodies, including the Zambia Metrology Agency
Transnet Freight Rail Restores Full Operations on Cape Mainline After Flood Repairs
Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) has fully resumed operations on the Cape Mainline after completing extensive repairs to sections of the railway damaged by the severe floods in July 2024. In a statement released on Friday, TFR announced that freight operations had returned to full capacity after more than a month of intensive work to restore the line. “The rail infrastructure sustained significant damage in the De Wet and Sandhills areas,