October 27, 2026
Webuild selected as preferred bidder for Lot 1B of Zambia Lobito Railway Corridor supported by Italy’s Mattei Plan
517-km greenfield railway between Copperbelt and Atlantic is strategic for critical minerals and priority for G7 and EU
Webuild to lead a joint-venture to execute Lot 1B, one of most ambitious infrastructure projects in Africa today
Approximately 517 km of new railway to transport copper and cobalt from Copperbelt to the Atlantic coast in seven rather than 16 days
Project backed by Italian Government’s Mattei Plan for Africa and supported by international institutions and investors
Corridor a priority by United States, European Union and G7 nations to secure supply chains of critical minerals
MILAN, October 27, 2026 – A new railway of 517 kilometres to support the development and connection of infrastructure in Southern Africa, a strategic region for the development of a supply chain for critical minerals. Webuild has been selected as the preferred bidder for Lot 1B of the Lobito Corridor Railway Project in Zambia. This major infrastructure development is among the strategic initiatives supported by the Italian Government’s Mattei Plan for Africa. The entire project is set to transform commercial and trade connections across Southern Africa with global markets: once completed, it will reduce transit times for goods from the Copperbelt to international markets from 16 to 7 days, unlocking estimated economic benefits of approximately USD 3 billion for Zambia and Angola. The project will also offer an opportunity for Italy’s supply chain in the construction industry, helping develop one of the major strategic infrastructures in Africa. The project will also offer an opportunity for Italy’s supply chain in the construction industry, helping develop one of the major strategic infrastructures in Africa.
The project is developed and sponsored by Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), the multilateral African financial institution, which has worked closely with the governments of Angola and Zambia to coordinate key approvals, align priorities and advance the project towards implementation. The project is supported by international development partners. The lot includes the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) of a section of the railway running from the Angolan border to Chingola, in the heart of the Copperbelt province in Zambia.
The alignment traverses regions lacking large-scale infrastructure, and features 22 bridges and viaducts, 8 stations, and 3 maintenance depots designed to support heavy freight traffic volumes. Joining Webuild in the international consortium are Turkish contractor İçtaş (30%) and Portuguese contractor Mota-Engil (30%). The preferred-bidder selection is subject to the conclusion of technical, commercial and legal negotiations, expected to begin in November 2026.
The Lobito Corridor favours economic integration in the region, supporting the development of local economies by improving connections among production areas, industrial hubs and global trade routes. It will redesign the economic geography of Southern Africa by establishing an east-west trade route as an alternative to traditional outlets on the Indian Ocean. It will connect Angola’s Atlantic port of Lobito to the key mining districts of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia, home to vast resources of copper, cobalt, and other strategic minerals vital for the energy transition.
It is for this reason that the corridor is designated a priority for Italy within the Mattei Plan, as well as for the United States, the European Union, and G7 countries, which have included it among the flagship initiatives of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII) and the European Global Gateway, serving as critical infrastructure to diversify and secure supply chains for critical minerals.
Lot 1B represents the Zambian section of the broader Zambia Lobito Railway Project, which encompasses approximately 831 kilometres of greenfield railway between Zambia and Angola. Via the Angolan section, it will connect at Luacano to the Benguela Railway, part of the existing Lobito Corridor currently operational and undergoing major rehabilitation and upgrade works.