Global Commitments to the Lobito Corridor Surpass $6B as Strategic Backing Deepens
In December 2025, stakeholders finalized a $535 million financing package to advance the project, co-financed by the U.S. Development finance Corporation, Trafigura, Mota-Engil, Vecturis and the Development Bank of Southern Africa. The funding supports the rehabilitation of the 1,289-km Benguela Railway, a vital logistics artery connecting the Port of Lobito to mineral-rich regions of the DRC. The package follows the issuance of an engineering, procurement and construction tender in October 2025, paving the way for full-scale project execution. To date, the U.S. has committed more than $4 billion to the broader corridor initiative.
European participation has expanded significantly in 2025. Nearly €57 million in grants were committed across mining, transport and energy projects along the Angolan segment of the corridor, while the EU announced an additional €200 million for energy, water, transport and mining investments in Zambia. These commitments form part of the EU’s more than €2 billion pledge to the Lobito Corridor under its Global Gateway framework, underscoring Europe’s strategic interest in securing diversified and resilient mineral supply chains.
Private capital mobilization has further strengthened the corridor’s financial foundation. A consortium led by Switzerland-based Menomadin & Mitrelli Group and the Angola Sovereign Wealth Fund launched a $1 billion investment vehicle aimed at attracting private investors to the Lobito Corridor and associated infrastructure developments. African multilateral institutions are also playing a catalytic role. The Africa Finance Corporation, as lead project developer and financier, secured capital commitments from investors in Japan, Canada, Europe and the Arab world in 2025, while the African Development Bank is mobilizing up to $500 million through international partners and dedicated programs.
With global demand for critical minerals projected to quadruple by 2040, the Lobito Corridor is emerging as a strategic platform for linking Africa’s resource base with global energy transition markets. The DRC’s estimated $24 trillion in untapped mineral resources and Zambia’s target to increase copper production to three million tons per annum position the $16 billion corridor as a transformative asset for regional development. For the EU and the U.S., the project represents a tangible opportunity to diversify supply chains and reduce dependence on China for energy transition metals.
African Mining Week serves as a premier platform for exploring the full spectrum of mining opportunities across Africa. The event is held alongside the African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies 2026 conference from October 12-16 in Cape Town. Sponsors, exhibitors and delegates can learn more by contacting sales@energycapitalpower.com.

