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Preferred Bidders Picked for Multibillion-dollar Zambia-Angola Rail Project

By Shem Oirere

Photo courtesy Africa Policy Research Institute

New rail link will allow minerals and other materials from Central Africa to reach international markets through Angola.

November 8, 2026

The planned construction of the 830-kilometer (515-mile) greenfield Zambia Lobito rail line project, which would connect the mineral-rich African countries of Zambia and Angola, moved closer to construction late last month with the selection of two consortia as preferred bidders for separate engineering, procurement and construction contracts.

The project's lead sponsor and developer, Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), unveiled a consortium comprising Italy-based Webuild S.p.A., along with Turkish firms Mota-Engil and IC İçtaş Construction as the preferred bidder for the 550 km Zambian section, and Mota-Engil and Brazil's Odebrecht Engineering and Construction for the 279-km Angolan…