Italy Backs $1B Rail Project Connecting Africa to Atlantic

Italy is putting real money behind African infrastructure, with Italian construction giant Webuild selected to lead a 517-kilometer railway project that could transform trade across southern Africa.

The Lobito Corridor railway will connect landlocked Zambia to Angola's Atlantic coast, cutting transport times from 16 days to just seven. For farmers and miners across the region, that means faster access to international markets and lower costs to ship copper, cobalt, and agricultural products overseas.

Webuild is leading an international team that includes companies from Portugal and Turkey. The project includes 22 bridges, eight stations, and three maintenance depots across Zambia, forming part of an 830-kilometer connection to the port of Lobito.

The railway gives African nations a western export route to the Atlantic Ocean, providing an alternative to traditional Indian Ocean shipping lanes. That matters for regional economies looking to diversify their trade connections and reduce logistics costs.

Italy's involvement comes through its Mattei Plan, a development strategy that Deputy Foreign Minister Edmondo Cirielli says focuses on African priorities rather than external donor demands. Italian development funding jumped from €120 million to €823 million in just one year.

The Ripple Effect: This isn't just about one railway. Italy expanded its priority African partner countries from 12 to 23, opening new cooperation offices in countries like Côte d'Ivoire and Uganda. The Italian government is working with the United States, European Union, and African Development Bank on the corridor project, which launched during Italy's 2024 G7 summit.

Rome is increasing its African commitments while other Western nations reduce theirs, according to Cirielli. The strategy combines government funding with private investment, using Italy's diplomatic relationships to bring larger institutions and companies into African projects.

The approach positions Italy as a connector, linking development resources with infrastructure opportunities that benefit African nations and global supply chains alike.

Italy is proving that smart development partnerships can move beyond aid checks to building real infrastructure that creates lasting economic connections.