New Transport Corridors Accelerate Africa’s Mining Growth

CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Major investments in railways and regional transport corridors are accelerating efforts to unlock Africa’s mineral wealth and strengthen the continent’s position in global mineral supply chains, writes Winston Mwale.

The latest development is a €312 million financing agreement between Proparco, the International Finance Corporation and Société d’Exploitation du Transgabonais to support the second phase of Gabon’s Railway Modernization and Safety Program.

Announced in July, the financing will accelerate rehabilitation of the 648-kilometer Transgabonais railway, which connects the Port of Owendo on the Atlantic coast to Franceville in eastern Gabon.

The project is expected to improve the transportation of manganese and other minerals to regional and international markets while supporting Gabon’s ambition to increase mining’s contribution to gross domestic product from about 6% to 25% by 2030.

The modernization program has already resulted in the renewal of 457 kilometers of track with concrete sleepers and the upgrading of 186 kilometers with new 60-kilogram rails.

The investment highlights the growing importance of transport infrastructure in reducing logistics costs, improving safety and increasing the efficiency of mineral exports.

The issue will be a key focus at African Mining Week 2026, scheduled for Oct. 14-16 in Cape Town.

A dedicated panel, “Regional Connectivity: Financing Africa’s Mineral Infrastructure,” will bring together representatives from the Uganda Chamber of Minerals and Energy, Zambia Chamber of Mines, Africa Finance Corporation, Transnet Freight Rail and the Trade and Development Bank.

The panel is expected to examine financing models, railway and port modernization, regional integration and infrastructure requirements for Africa’s next phase of mining growth.

Elsewhere on the continent, major transport projects are being developed to support mining and regional trade.

The $753 million Lobito Corridor Railway Project recently reached financial close through financing from the U.S. Development Finance Corporation and the Development Bank of Southern Africa.

The project involves the rehabilitation, modernization and long-term operation of the 1,300-kilometer Benguela Railway linking Angola’s Port of Lobito with the Democratic Republic of Congo border.

An extension into Zambia is expected to create a faster export route for minerals including Angola’s diamonds, emerging rare earth resources in the region, and the DRC’s copper, cobalt and tin, as well as Zambia’s copper.

In East Africa, the $1.4 billion revitalization of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority is expected to strengthen the strategic link between the Port of Dar es Salaam and Zambia’s Copperbelt.

The project is aimed at reducing transport costs and increasing export capacity for Zambia’s copper and Tanzania’s graphite and rare earth industries.

West Africa is also advancing regional connectivity through the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor.

The African Development Bank and the Economic Community of West African States concluded a joint multi-country financing mission in April, moving the 1,028-kilometer corridor into its investment phase following the completion of feasibility studies.

The corridor links Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria and is centered on a six-lane highway. It is expected to strengthen cross-border trade and regional logistics while supporting mineral supply chains and investment in gold, lithium and other critical minerals.

In Guinea, authorities have approved the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment for Phase One of the $1.8 billion Liberty Corridor transport project, paving the way for rail and logistics infrastructure connecting Guinea and Liberia.

The project is expected to facilitate mineral exports from the Simandou iron ore complex, the Kon Kweni project and Liberian iron ore operations.

With investments in transport infrastructure gathering pace across Africa, African Mining Week 2026 is expected to provide a platform for governments, financiers and mining industry leaders to discuss partnerships and financing mechanisms for the continent’s next generation of mineral infrastructure.