More than 2 billion dollars will be mobilized to develop the Lion’s Den-Kafue railway line, as part of an agreement signed on April 11, 2026 between Zimbabwe and Zambia. This infrastructure project aims to enhance the fluidity of mining resource transport, while reducing logistical costs in a region heavily dependent on extractive exports.
The future line will span 311 kilometers, with 217 km on the Zimbabwean side and 94 km in Zambian territory, in addition to 445 km of rehabilitation of the existing network. By improving railway connectivity between the two countries, this corridor aims to meet an economic imperative to optimize the transportation of minerals to international markets.
One of the main advantages of the project lies in reducing transport distances to major exit ports. Commercial flows could thus be shortened by approximately 800 km to Beira, 1,000 km to South Africa, and 500 km to Dar es Salaam. This logistical optimization is expected to result in competitiveness gains for exporters and better securing of regional supply chains.
This project is also part of the strategy promoted by the Pan-African Minerals Development Company (PMDC), a joint structure dedicated to valorizing mineral resources through the development of public railway infrastructure. The ambition is to strengthen regional integration by facilitating more efficient and cost-effective transportation of raw materials.
Beyond this axis, investment dynamics in rail are intensifying across the African continent, where several states now favor this mode of transport to support the growth of the extractive sector. Rail is gradually emerging as a sustainable solution for heavy freight, in the face of constraints of road transport.
In this perspective, East and Southern Africa are positioning themselves as hubs for railway development, with large-scale projects such as the Lobito and TAZARA corridors. These initiatives reflect a common desire to modernize logistical infrastructure and support the economic transformation of resource-rich countries.
