DR Congo Signs Agreement to Extend Nacala Railway, Enhancing Trade Connectivity Across Southern Africa
On December 19, 2025, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) signed a ministerial declaration with Mozambique, Malawi, and Zambia to extend the Nacala railway corridor to Congolese borders, granting the country rail access to the Indian Ocean via Mozambique’s port of Nacala.
The project envisions an integrated rail network spanning approximately 2,400 kilometers, linking Chipata in eastern Zambia to Malawi and Mozambique, with a potential extension into southern DR Congo. The corridor aims to reduce transport costs, shorten transit times, and strengthen regional trade competitiveness.
Transport and infrastructure ministers from the four countries highlighted that the initiative will not only facilitate trade but also stimulate industrial growth, improve food security, and consolidate regional value chains.
The ministerial declaration further commits the signatory countries to mobilize joint financing, attract strategic partners, and harmonize policies, technical standards, and regulatory frameworks to ensure seamless cross-border rail operations.
Governments plan to finalize an implementation framework in early 2026, which will define governance structures, financing models, and phased construction plans.
Mozambique’s Minister of Transport and Logistics, João Matlombe, noted that the next step involves signing an agreement to appoint a strategic partner for the construction of the railway line and associated logistics infrastructure, scheduled for the first quarter of 2026.
The port of Nacala, located in northern Mozambique, serves as a key maritime trade hub for eastern and southern Africa. In 2024, it handled 1.4 million tonnes of cargo, equivalent to 100,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), with projected traffic of 1.8 million tonnes, or 115,100 TEUs, in 2025.
The extended corridor is expected to leverage the port’s strategic capacity to facilitate greater regional trade and economic integration.
