On July 10, 2026, the Congolese government approved a public-private partnership with Mota-Engil to rehabilitate and operate the Dilolo–Kolwezi–Lubumbashi–Sakania railway line. The U.S. Department for Finance (DFC) is considering financing of up to USD 1 billion, but the final signing, concession terms, and financial closing are still pending.

Approval was granted at the 94th meeting of the Council of Ministers held in Kinshasa. The project aims to rehabilitate the Congolese section of the Lobito corridor, which crosses the main copper and cobalt production areas of Lualaba and Haut-Katanga before connecting to the Angolan network leading to the port of Lobito. The proposal was presented by the Minister of State for Planning, who was acting as interim Deputy Prime Minister for Transport.

This government decision does not yet mean that work can begin. The U.S. State Department welcomed the approval on July 15, while indicating that a final signing ceremony still needed to be organized. Washington is also awaiting the finalization of support from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, known as DFC. The duration of the concession, the total amount of investment, any guarantees from the Congolese state, and the implementation schedule have not yet been made public.

US funding that could reach $1 billion

On December 5, 2025, the DFC signed a letter of intent with Mota-Engil Engenharia e Construção África. The document concerns the rehabilitation, operation, and subsequent transfer of the Dilolo–Sakania railway line. The American institution specifies that the project could require up to USD 1 billion after a full evaluation. This sum therefore represents a potential financing opportunity and not a definitively granted or disbursed loan.

Mota-Engil is already familiar with the Angolan section of the corridor. The Portuguese group owns 50% of Lobito Atlantic Railway , the consortium tasked with operating the approximately 1,300 kilometers linking the port of Lobito to the Congolese border for an initial period of 30 years. The presence of the same operator on both sides of the border could facilitate the coordination of timetables, equipment, and railway operations. However, it raises questions about the commercial terms that will apply to the Congolese section and the DRC’s ability to maintain effective control over this public infrastructure.

The economic objective is to provide Congolese exporters with an additional route to the Atlantic Ocean. A large portion of the minerals produced in southeastern DRC still travel via road and rail routes through Zambia, Tanzania, Mozambique, or South Africa. The Lobito line can shorten some distances and alleviate congestion on existing roads. However, the actual savings will depend on rail fares, handling costs, border crossing times, and the line’s capacity to regularly transport high volumes.

The contract still needs to define the costs and revenue sharing.

The minutes of the Council of Ministers meeting do not specify Mota-Engil’s exact obligations regarding rehabilitation, maintenance, rolling stock, and operations. Nor do they detail the role that the National Railway Company of Congo (SNCC), the historical owner and operator of the public rail network, will retain. The revenue sharing between the concessionaire, the SNCC, and the State will need to be examined in the final contract, as will the rules for setting fares and the performance monitoring mechanisms.

The DRC’s financial commitments also remain unknown. A public-private partnership (PPP) can mobilize private capital without the state immediately financing all the work, but it can also include revenue guarantees, tax advantages, the provision of public assets, or payment commitments over several years. Without publication of the draft contract, it is impossible to determine the actual budgetary cost of the operation and the potential risks to public finances.

The economic viability of the corridor should not be measured solely by the volumes of copper and cobalt transported. The contract must specify commitments related to passenger transport, agricultural goods, Congolese employment, local subcontracting, and the development of the towns along the route. A line primarily dedicated to mineral exports might improve logistics for companies without automatically generating sufficient benefits for the communities living along the route.

Government approval secures a political direction, but several financial and contractual decisions remain to be made. The next crucial piece of information will be the publication of the concession contract or, at a minimum, its main clauses. This should reveal the amount to be invested, the duration of the PPP, the proposed tariffs, the guarantees provided, and the share of revenue that will accrue to the DRC.

— Mr. KOSI