Lobito Corridor to Drive Intra-African Trade, Hichilema Says

President Hakainde Hichilema says the Lobito Corridor project will play a critical role in unlocking intra-African trade by improving regional connectivity and facilitating the movement of goods across the continent.

Speaking after a courtesy call by the leadership of the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) at State House today, President Hichilema said the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) depends on practical infrastructure that links production centres to markets.

He said the multi-country Lobito Corridor project, connecting Zambia, Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is a key component of Zambia’s economic transformation agenda and efforts to deepen regional integration.

The President reiterated that Africa remains one of the regions with the lowest levels of intra-continental trade, adding that the corridor is designed to help reverse the trend by improving the movement of goods and services across borders.

He said the project will strengthen logistical links between areas of surplus production and regions facing food shortages, citing Zambia’s annual maize output of about 10 million metric tonnes as an example of agricultural capacity that can be better connected to regional markets.

President Hichilema described the Lobito Corridor as more than a railway project, saying it would serve as a strategic industrial artery linking production, processing and manufacturing activities across several provinces, including the Copperbelt, North-Western, Central, Lusaka, Southern, Northern and Muchinga provinces.

He welcomed the AFC’s continued financial support for the initiative, describing the corridor as a visionary project requiring collaboration among government, financing institutions and the public.

He reiterated Government’s commitment, alongside partners such as the AFC, to delivering long-term economic benefits through infrastructure investments that promote trade, industrialisation and regional economic growth.

Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) Chief Executive Officer Samaila Zubairu said the Lobito Corridor project has the potential to transform regional economies and unlock new opportunities for trade, industrialisation and food security across Southern and Central Africa.

Mr. Zubairu described the initiative as a revolutionary development that will strengthen economic integration among Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zambia.

He said the AFC was proud to provide leadership on the implementation of the Lobito Corridor, a major infrastructure project linking the three countries and supporting broader regional development goals.

He said the initiative represents a visionary undertaking whose success will depend on the collective support of government, the private sector and other stakeholders.